Coming Clean
by GwenCooper92
Summary: In the aftermath of Sarah and Zoe's fling both begin to feel the strain, But will they avoid the obstacles and will Love triumph all First Zorah fic
1. Missing Mornings

**My first Zorah fic, review if you enjoyed :D**

* * *

Zoe walked through Hollyoaks village slowly. Her hair was a mess, her make up was smudged all over her face, and in her hands she carried her pair of high heels. Her vision was slightly doubled as she was still slightly drunk from the night before. Long ladders stretched down her tights and her dress was ruffled. Her head throbbed as the alcohol consumption took it's toll.

She got several glances from people as she stumbled blindly through the village. The only thing she wanted was her bed, she just wanted to fall into it and never wake up. Zoe rounded a corner when suddenly she clattered into someone and instantly lost her balance and hit the floor.

"Oh god, I'm so – Zoe" Sarah said shocked as she watched the blonde clamber to her feet unsteadily. Zoe gripped onto the wall next to her hard and pulled herself up.

"Umm hi Sar" Zoe slurred back as she tried to focus on the tall brunette. Sarah was stood stunned at Zoe's appearance. Studying the blonde's face she noticed she had a split lip and noticed that one eye was slightly darker then the other, and that her nose had a small amount of dried blood just beneath the nostril. She knew Zoe could control herself, she knew she was never one to go over the top with her drinking. But seeing her friend, well if she could call her that these days, in the mess she was genuinely frightened her.

"Thank god your okay, jesus Archie's worried sick" Sarah said her voice slightly panicked.

"What do you mean, I've only been gone one night, god aren't I aloud to have fun" She murmured angrily as she swung the heels round her side.

"Zoe, you've been gone since Friday, it's Sunday, you haven't been answering your phone or anything, and what happened to your lip" Sarah said not knowing why she was getting so annoyed at Zoe. _Why do I care, I shouldn't care?_ She asked herself mentally.

"I dunno" she answered shrugging her shoulders genuinely not knowing. "It was nice to talk Sarah but at the moment I really need to sleep, nice seeing you Sar" Zoe mock saluted and she turned and staggered away from Sarah. Sarah was stood there her mouth agape. _What's going on Zoe_ she thought as she headed towards Drive N Buy her mind still reeling from the altercation.

* * *

"That's it, I'm ringing the police" Archie said as he jumped to his feet and went for the phone. Just as he was about to pick it up the door swung open and a disheveled Zoe fell through into the apartment.

"Zoe, your okay" Archie practically sang as he ran forward and pulled Zoe into a tight embrace. Zoe just shot him a puzzled look. Kris jumped to his feet as did Zak and Nancy.

"Where the hell have you been" Kris scolded as Archie finally released Zoe. Zoe just shrugged her shoulders and threw her shoes to one side.

"Having fun, can't I have fun, look I'm going to my room, and I'm going to sleep" she slurred as she tried to scurry past the other's her hands clutching the walls tightly.

"Zoe, it's okay to have fun, but to suddenly disappear for two days, not answering your phone, that's not having fun, that's being stupid" Kris added following Zoe down the hallway the other's on his heels.

"Look Kris, I have a really sore head, I'm tired, I need sleep, and to be honest I really don't fancy a slanging match with you at this point in time, okay, I'm home, just forget I even went away, goodnight" Zoe finished and slammed her door hard. She stalked over to her bed and picked up her tracksuit bottoms and sweatshirt that she wore to bed. Quickly she got changed and dragged herself under the thick duvet. And in a matter of seconds she was fast asleep.

* * *

Sarah was sat in the dog with Hannah sipping at her white wine spritzer slowly. _What the hell has gotten into her, she's changed, she's not the Zoe I know, the Zoe I know would never go on weekend benders with strangers, and would never stroll through the village looking the way she did._

"So what was she like" Hannah asked as she put her drink down and turned her attention to the slim brunette.

"Huh" Sarah asked pulling herself from her reverie and turning to face the long haired blonde.

"What was Zoe like, I mean from what's been being said she looked pretty rough" Hannah said curiously worried about her friend. "I know she's a free spirit and all but Zoe, Zoe's never been like that, she's always so sensible" Hannah added as she took another long gulp of her wine.

"She was a mess Han, I've don't think I've even been in a state like she was, and she didn't seem to care that she had been gone all weekend" Sarah said her voice low.

"I'm not blaming anyone, or anything but, she's been different ever since, well ever since the two of you stopped talking, after all that happened when you went away" Hannah said slowly knowing that she was treading on thin ice. She was expecting Sarah to shout and to scream that it had nothing to do with her. But instead she got a completely different reaction.

"Don't you think I know that, I've been going over it all weekend, I blamed everything on her, that what happened was all her fault, when really it was the both of us, and I've been constantly putting her down, snide jibes and stuff like that, I know it's my fault why she's being like this" Sarah said calmly as she twirled the end of her slender finger in the wine making small ripples in the light liquid.

"Well why don't you tell her this, maybe, maybe it will calm her down you know, make her see sense" Hannah considered wanting to reconcile the two as the strain of the separation took it's toll on their groups friendship as well.

"I'll think about it" Sarah replied drying her finger off on the jeans.

"You know I thought you would be the one to be acting like that, going out, getting plastered, having random one night stands" Hannah said her voice innocent.

Sarah glared at her. "How do you know she had a one night stand, what makes you think that" Sarah answered jealousy filling her voice.

"Sarah, she's been out on what looks to have been a wild weekend, obviously she was bound to kop off with someone, I mean she's a gorgeous girl" Hannah said simply using her hands to prove a point.

Sarah's shoulders fell a little. " I thought I would have reacted like that, hell I did for about a week, but then, it made me feel dirty, cheap you know, I don't want her to feel like that, it's just not Zoe" Sarah replied not wanting to talk about Zoe having possible one night stands.

"Please Sar, just go and see her yeah, explain this to her, please, it'll help, I know it" Hannah reassured her friend. She could tell that Sarah was hurting. _She may have been blonde but she was far from dumb_. She could see it even though Sarah couldn't just yet. She knew that the brunette was in love.

* * *

Zoe rolled over and groaned as her head pounded. The bright light that streamed through the blinds made her squint as she reached out to grab her phone. Slowly she unflipped it and looked at the time. 11:52am.

"Oh god" she moaned her hands grasping her head tightly. Her mouth was dry and her breath smelt awful. Just as she was about to pull herself out of her warm bed a small knock came on her door and it was pushed open slowly. There with a steaming cup of coffee in his hand stood Zak.

"Good morning" he said quietly creeping into the room a small smile on his face. Zoe sat upright in her bed resting her back against the wooden head board.

"G'Morning" she mumbled groggily taking the hot cup and inhaling the sweet scent of the coffee. The smell alone seemed to numb the pain her head was in.

"How are you feeling, pretty good I hope seems as you have been sleeping for 20 hours straight" Zak chuckled sitting down next to her on the bed.

Zoe laughed quietly. "Oh god Zak I feel so ill, and I'm still tired" she said as she took a sip of the black liquid.

"One of those weekends was it" Zak said trying to lighten the atmosphere. Zoe just shrugged her shoulders and put the coffee down on the bedside table. "You could say that, what I can remember of it" Zoe answered her face twisted into a look of confusion.

"Right well, I'll leave you to get dressed and everything" Zak said pushing himself up off the bed and slinked out of the room quietly. Zoe stared at the closed wooden door and sighed before throwing the covers off of her.

* * *

"So it found it's way back" Amy seethed as she pulled fresh nappies from out of the cupboard. Sarah just pulled a face.

"Amy don't say that, something bad could have happened, she could have been dead somewhere" Sarah said not liking what she was hearing from her younger sister.

"I wouldn't care if she was, she ripped this family to pieces, and yet your sticking by her" Amy growled as she spun on the spot to look at her sister fire burning in her brown eyes.

"Amy don't say things like that" Sarah warned her temper beginning to rise. _I should be agreeing with her, I should want Zoe to suffer, but I don't, and I don't know why_ she cried to herself mentally.

"Look we've all had to pick sides Sarah, and it seems to me that you haven't picked one yet, lucky dad's gone travelling to clear his head and not see any of this, his own daughter betraying him" Amy taunted as she threw the nappies to one side in frustration.

"It's not like that Am's, you wouldn't understand, your just a kid" Sarah yelled back angrily. She didn't know where this sudden burst of anger had come from.

"Just get out Sarah" Amy screamed and Sarah turned on her heel and stormed out of the house a loud slam reverberating around the house as the door was smashed shut.

* * *

Zoe was curled up on the couch a thick blanket wrapped around her as she struggled to keep her eyes open.

"Zo, look please will you just give me details, where were you, what happened" Archie asked having enough of his sister avoiding his questions all day.

"Archie I really don't remember, I was somewhere in Chester, I don't know where okay, and I can't remember anything at all, otherwise if I could I would tell you" Zoe answered her voice never changing pitch and her gaze never leaving the Tv screen.

"How did you get that split lip and black eye, were you fighting with someone, did someone hurt you on purpose" Archie kept enquiring persistently shifting ever closer to Zoe.

"Archie" Zoe snapped as she whipped around to face her brother. "I don't remember the weekend" she said her voice rising ever so slowly. Archie stared at her trying to read her expression but it was pointless, he knew he wouldn't be getting anything out of her soon.

Archie let out a long sigh and slumped in defeat. "Okay whatever, look I'm going to go and meet the guys down in the Subar, I'll see you later" he said before getting up and heading for the door not waiting for Zoe's reply.

She just watched him go and once the door had shut she turned her attention back to the Tv. Her eyes began to droop when suddenly there was a loud knock on the door. Zoe groaned in frustration. Jumping from the settee she went to the door.

When she opened it the last person she thought she would see was stood there. Sarah looked at her and took in her appearance. She noticed that today Zoe looked worse then when the last time she saw her.

"Hey Zo" Sarah said her voice low as her gaze never flickered from Zoe's angry purple bruise beneath her eye.

"Uhh Hi Sarah, come in" she said stepping to one side to allow Sarah to walk into the flat. Sarah looked around and stopped waiting for Zoe to catch her up.

"Make yourself comfortable, do you want a tea" Zoe asked kindly her voice still husky and hoarse from the alcohol from the day before. For some reason Zoe's deepened voice sent small shivers rippling through Sarah's body. Shaking those feelings away she answered.

"Uh yeah please" she said and went and sat on the warm sofa. She could see the indentation where Zoe had clearly been lying. She heard the kettle finish boiling and watched as Zoe walked back across the room shakily placing the cups down on the Coffee table.

"So why did you come here" Zoe said curiously. She hadn't expected to see Sarah, she hadn't expected to speak to her ever again.

"I came to see if your okay, Nancy and Hannah were worried, and I was I mean, and when I saw you yesterday you didn't look to good" Sarah said as she sipped a bit of the piping hot tea.

"Well that's kind of them, you, but I'm fine they don't have to worry about me, I'm Zoe Carpenter Sarah, I'm a free spirit, I come and go" Zoe simply replied putting her tea back down on the coaster and she pulled the blanket back around her tightly.

Sarah laughed a little at the remark. But it still didn't ease her worry one bit. Suddenly a loud ring filtered through to the living room and Zoe turned and started to look for something.

"Crap where's my phone" Zoe said as she searched the surrounding area.

"I think it's coming from your bedroom" Sarah said as she listened carefully.

"Yeah it is, I left it in there earlier" Zoe said and was about to get to her feet when Sarah put her hand on her shoulder and pushed her back down.

"I'll go, where in your room is it" she asked and Zoe's eyes narrowed slightly.

"I think it's in my jeans pocket, their on the chair by my desk" Zoe answered. Sarah nodded and headed towards Zoe's room at the far end of the corridor. Walking in the stench of booze hit her hard. Looking around she noticed that Zoe's usually pristine room was as bad as Archie's. Sarah crossed the room and grabbed the pair of jeans and stuck her hand into the pocket's. She felt her finger's brushed across the phone and she pulled it out.

Just as she did that she felt something slip from the pockets and land at her feet. Looking down she saw a small clear sachet. Dread filled her stomach as she knelt down and picked up the small bag. Sarah gasped in horror as she stared at the contents. There in her hand she realized was half a bag of cocaine.

* * *

**So hmm what has Zoe been up to on her weekend, all will be revealed soon, review if youenjoyed.**


	2. Realisations & Revelations

Sarah stared at the bag her eyes wide. _No, Zoe wouldn't, she's never do drugs, she'd never _she thought to herself as held the bag in her hand. As soon as the shock began to die away anger filled her body. _What is she doing to herself_ she screamed internally as she clenched her fist around the bag. Tears of anger and hurt and worry pricked her eyes and she jumped to her feet on her way to confront Zoe. She exited the room and headed towards the living room and was about to speak when she saw that Zoe was fast asleep her body sprawled completely across the settee. All her anger melted away in that instant as she stared at the blonde.

She noticed how peaceful Zoe looked. How her face was void of that constant defensive guard she held up these days. She looked innocent, almost childlike and she did not want to destroy the moment. She stuffed the sachet in her pocket and slowly moved over to Zoe. Pulling at the duvet she pulled it up and tucked it under Zoe's chin carefully. Sarah perched herself on the corner of the coffee table and watched Zoe quietly. She began to realize how bad things had become in the last few weeks. She remembered that Zoe's skin was a lot paler then it used to be, that her face was more sunken and her eyes were old and worn.

"I'm gonna help you Zo, no matter what it is" she mumbled softly and brushed her hand across Zoe's head. She didn't even stir at the contact and for that she was thankful. Sarah put the phone down next to he blonde and sighed. Getting up Sarah slowly and quietly walked towards the front door and crept out silently as not to disturb the sleeping Zoe.

Once she got outside Sarah remembered about the drugs that were burning a hole in her pocket. Pulling them out she quickly threw them in a large black bin and scurried off through halls towards Nancy's.

* * *

**5 hours later. . . .**

"Come on it'l be fun" Zoe groaned as she grabbed Kris and dragged him to his feet. She had managed to convince Zak and Archie but now only Kris was left to crack.

"Zoe after your weekend I don't think you should drink full stop" Kris said waving his hand patronizingly in Zoe's face.

"Come on guys, I'm with you, how much trouble can I get in exactly, come on we haven't had a night out in a while" Zoe begged again. After her daytime snooze Zoe was feeling fresh and back to normal. Well as normal felt these days.

"Fine but this is only cause we love you" Kris said as he hurried off to his room to get changed. A wide grin spread across Zoe's face but it soon turned into a wince as the cut on her lip cracked and a small amount of blood spilt from it.

"Oww" she groaned walking over to the sink to wipe it away. Idly her thought wandered to the other night and how she had acquired the bruises. _She could remember a girl coming on to her and starting to shout in her face and Zoe can vaguely remember head butting the woman in question. Then a full on bar fight erupted and she recalled being thrown out of the club._

"Stupid girl" Zoe muttered dropping her head down slightly in shame at what she had done. She was trying hard to block out the weekend but it was impossible.

"Who's a stupid girl" came Kris's irish tones from behind her. She spun around and looked at him.

"You" she said laughing and he put on a mock pout.

"Excuse me Miss Carpenter but as you can see I'm a man" he said proudly putting his hands on his hips.

"Yeah, today" Zoe retorted and earned a playful slap for her comeback. "Come on Archie and Zak and all them are waiting for us down in the union" Zoe said wrapping one arm around Kris's waist tightly and he threw his around her shoulders.

* * *

"Well the girl who puts Dawn in dawn of the dead is here" Hannah laughed as she threw her arms around Zoe. Zoe hugged the blonde back.

"Yeah I'm alive and well, I'm sorry If I scared you, Sarah told me that you were worried" Zoe said shifting slightly. Hannah just grinned.

"You're here, your fine that's the main thing, just don't bother doing that to us again" Hannah said and Zoe nodded.

Zoe was about to order her drink when she was tapped on the shoulder. Turning around she came face to face with her fiery haired friend.

"Nancy" she jeered and pulled her small friend into a hug.

"It's alive" Nancy laughed as she hugged the shorter woman back.

"Yeah and I'm ready to have fun, so where's Sarah" Zoe asked noticing that she was nowhere in sight.

"Oh she's in the toilet, and I have to say it" Nancy said and Zoe's face twisted in confusion. "I want your dress, you look stunning, scrubbed up quite well" Nancy giggled and Zoe merely turned and ordered her drinks.

Sarah walked out of the bathroom and headed towards where she could see Nancy and Hannah and another familiar blonde stood.

"Come on, on three, one, two three" Zoe said and quickly knocked the shot back. She swiftly picked up her second and downed and then picked up the third and finished it in a heartbeat. The other two were still on their second and they were in shock.

"Zoe, since when did you get good at shot's" they asked at exactly the same time. Zoe just giggled. "I guess I'm in one of those moods, do you want them" she asked issuing to the last remaining shots. The girls shook their heads and watched as Zoe knocked both back swiftly.

Sarah watched from afar as Zoe downed the five shots. _What the hell is happening_ she thought again as she walked closer towards them. She was trying to think of a way to ask Zoe about the drugs but decided to leave it until later.

"You lot have started without me" Sarah said a fake pout on her face. Everyone just laughed and Nancy ordered Sarah a drink. Zoe caught Sarah's eye and sent her small smile. Sarah grinned back the smile reaching her eyes.

"Thanks for coming over earlier Sarah, it's nice to know we can actually be civil now" Zoe laughed as she spoke to her friend. Sarah laughed to and took a sip of her drink.

"Me too" Sarah said back and turned to tune in to what Nancy and Hannah were conversing about.

* * *

"You know what Zo, you're my best girl and I love you" Kris said drunkenly wrapping an arm around Zoe as they danced. Zoe's eyes lit up.

"You're my best man, girl, she male, as well and I love you too" she laughed back as Kris spun her around.

"Cheeky" he said sending her wink as they danced to the rhythm. They were both staggering around as they attempted to dance though that was easier said then done whilst as heavily intoxicated as they were. Suddenly a handsome young man approached them and turned to Zoe.

"Would you like to dance" he offered a grin on his face. His hand was extended for her to take and she hesitated slightly. Before Zoe even had a chance to answer Kris was practically pushing her into the guy.

"Sure" Zoe smiled and she sent a look at Kris who was giving her a thumbs up. She took his hand and he led her deeper onto the crowded dancefloor.

Kris slumped onto the chair in the corner of the bar and looked at the other's who were sat there.

"Where's Zoe gone, wasn't she with you" Zak asked looking around the darker haired blonde. Sarah was sat next to him and her interest in the conversation picked up.

"Well you know that gorgeous guy that you two were trying to pull all night, the best looking guy in the bar, except from me" he said looking at Nancy and Hannah. The two girls nodded their eyes going wide. "Well he just asked Zoe for a dance and now I don't know where they've gone" Kris said his eyes glinting.

"Lucky cow, he was well fit but he didn't seem interested in me" Nancy said finishing the end of her drink. Hannah was still sat her mouth open wide. "Or me" she laughed as she looked around the group.

Sarah's body was filling with jealousy. _Why was she with another man, where were they, what were they doing_ she kept asking herself. Sarah downed her drink in one and scowled her eyes scanning the dancefloor for her but it was impossible to make out anyone.

* * *

Zoe was sat on the man's lap in a dark corner her hands resting on his chest.

"Your gorgeous, you know that Zoe" the young man said as he placed his hands on her waist. She giggled and stared at him. "Your not half bad yourself Nathan" she said playfully and he laughed.

"Is it wrong for me wanting to kiss you now" he asked politely, well as politely as he could whilst being drunk.

"There is nothing wrong with that at all" Zoe said seductively as she leaned in and their lips met. She ran her hands up and down his chest and the kiss was instantly deepened.

"Oh my god she's actually done it look" Kris said wildly as he spotted Zoe and Nathan getting very friendly in a corner. Everyone instantly turned to see Zoe kissing the boy.

"I'm gonna give that girl a medal in the morning" Kris giggled as his eyes stared at the two.

"I'll be right back, just need to go to the toilet" Sarah said before springing to her feet and heading towards the women's toilets. Her gaze was fixed firmly on Zoe and jealousy and anger swam her body.

* * *

"So, do you want to continue this elsewhere, my house maybe" he said cheekily pulling away from her breathlessly. Zoe laughed and instantly stood up taking his hand in her's.

"How about we go to mine, it's only around the coner" Zoe said whilst wrapping her arm around his big shoulder's. A large grin appeared on his face as he led her towards the exit.

"That's fine by me" he said and the two walked put of the bar.

"Going going gone" Kris cheered as he watched Zoe exit the bar the man hot on her heels. Everyone laughed and continued with their drinking game.

* * *

Sarah was stood in the girls bathroom rubbing her eyes. Tears were threatening to fall but she managed to keep them in. She rubbed her face and let out a long sigh.

_Why am I feeling like this, she's my friend that's it, I should be happy that she's moving on, but I'm not_ she screamed at herself internally her anger bubbling. _We need to sort this out once and for all_ she thought again and headed out of the bathroom. Looking over to where she had seen Zoe last she was shocked to be greeted with a blank space. Looking around she scanned the area for the blonde but couldn't see her. Slowly she staggered back over to where the other's were sat.

"Where's Zoe gone" she asked Hannah almost needing to shout it over the blaring music.

"She left, with that guy, I think they went back to his place or maybe halls, I just know they left holding hands" Hannah said normally and she turned and resumed her conversation with Archie.

Sarah felt sick. She felt her stomach drop in shock. _Cheap one night stands. Did I repulse her so much that she needs blokes like him to block me out_ she thought as tears pricked at her eyes once more. She managed to hold them in. She was getting good at that these days. Turning away she headed over to the bar and quickly ordered another drink deciding to drown her sorrows. _The way Zoe had_. Anything to numb the pain that she was feeling right now.

* * *

Zoe and Nathan staggered into her bedroom each fumbling with each other's clothes. Zoe's dress was pulled over her head in an instant and his jeans were on the floor. She ripped his white vest top off over his head to reveal his well muscled and toned stomach. She fell backwards on the bed pulling him down on top of her. There tongues battled furiously for dominance as his hands got lost in her dirty blonde hair and her were brushing up and down his muscled back. Zoe rolled them over so she was above him now and instantly kissed him again missing the contact on her now swollen lips. He didn't resist and put his hands firmly on her hips pulling her even closer then she was.

* * *

Sarah and Nancy and Hannah staggered back into Nancy's flat drunkenly. Each one of them were giggling wildly. _All except one_. Sarah pulled away from the pair and fell straight onto the settee. As soon as she ht the soft fabric her eyes shut and she drifted into a dreamless alcohol induced sleep.

* * *

Zoe opened her eyes and groaned pulling the pillow tightly over her head.

"Morning beautiful" came a strong voice from beside her. Nathan was sat on the edge of the bed a gorgeous smile on his face.

"Good morning" Zoe answered slightly confused. Usually all her other one night stands left before she woke up. _So why hadn't he_.

"I had a really good time last and would love to do it again sometime" he said as he pulled out his cellphone. Zoe grinned back at him.

"Me too, oh god I bet I look like hell" she grumbled hiding herself under the duvet. After a few seconds she popped her head back over it to find Nathan's face inches from her.

"You look lovely" he smiled and placed a soft kiss on her pink lips. Zoe laughed and pushed herself up swinging her legs over the side.

* * *

Sarah was now back in the Barnes household. She had showered, freshened up and wasd dressed in clean clothes. A certain thought had been pestering her al morning. _Should I go and see Zoe, or not_ she thought not knowing what to do. One side of her longed to see Zoe, to touch her, to be near her, to protect her, but the other was frightened, frightened of the rejection, frightened of the backlash it could have on them. Sarah grabbed her coat and headed towards the door before she could change her mind. _She was going to speak to Zoe._

* * *

"Can you pass me that robe over there please" she said indicating to the light green fleecey dressing gown hanging on the door. Wordlessly he got up and handed it to her. She threw it over her and stood up wrapping the tie around it to secure it into place.

"What's your number" he asked as he flipped his phone open. Zoe looked around for her phone and found it down by her feet. Lifting it up she read out her number and he typed it in.

Within seconds her phone beeped and she read the text. _My number beautiful x._ She blushed a deep crimson and dipped her head slightly.

"Right well my mates gonna be picking me up in a minute so I better be going" he said his voice slightly dejected as he got to his feet. She walked to the door and opened it and stepped out hoping that no one was awake yet. But no such luck, Archie, Zak and Kris were all sat on the settee a bowl of cereal in their hands. Each sent Zoe cheesy grins but she ignored them.

Opeing the front door for him he stepped out and so did she closing the door behind her.

"So I was thinking how about tonight I take you out for dinner" he offered his smile reaching his blue eyes. Zoe blushed once more and nodded her head.

"I'd like that" she said back.

"So I will text you when and what time and where later" he said again his deep voice mesmerizing.

"Sure" Zoe said happily feeling as if things were on the up.

"So see you later" Nathan said and with that bent down and kissed her softly again. The kiss lingered and neither wanted to pull away. But Nathan knowing that he had to go reluctantly did.

"See you later" he said leaving go of her hand and walking down the hallway backwards his eyes never leaving Zoe. But in walking backwards he didn't see the corner coming and his back slammed into the wall. Zoe giggled and so did he and with one last look he turned the corner and was out of sight.

Sarah poked her head around the corner and looked on heartbroken at the interaction between the two. _I've missed my chance_ she sighed ruefully and slinked off back to her house her heart and head heavy.

* * *

**Aww poor Sarah, but just remember this is a Zorah story!! Review if you enjoyed they really give me inspiration**


	3. Dinner Dates & Drug Discussions

"Zoe tell me how was he then" Kris said patting the seat next to him. Zoe just snuggled into his side sleepily as she slumped onto the settee.

"Good" she simply replied opening her mouth for Kris to feed her his coco pops which he reluctantly did. Swallowing the food she met his curious gaze.

"Come on you have to give me more then that, what's his name, where's he from, how old is he, are you going to see him again" Kris began talking as fast as he could. Zoe put her hand up and silenced him.

"His name is Nathan, he's 23, I don't know where he's from, or what he does but I will find that out later because he has asked me out another date tonight" Zoe grinned happily and Kris's mouth spilled open the food dripping down his chin.

"Pig" Zoe groaned pushing his jaw firmly up and wiped away all the milk with her sleeve.

"Right then, I am going to be getting you ready tonight missy" he grinned maniacally.

"Whatever, right I am off down to the shops to pick up some bits and bobs, do you guys want anything while I'm down there" Zoe asked as she got to her feet wanting nothing more then to get away from an over excited Kris.

"Nah your alright Zoe, be back within two hours, I am gonna need some time to scrub you up" he winked cheekily. Zoe just stuck her tongue out at him childishly and headed to her room to get changed.

* * *

"Oh well the wild one has returned" Rhys laughed as he watched Zoe walk into Drive N Buy. She sent a mock glare and grabbed some of the stuff she needed together.

"Haha that was quite funny for you" Zoe answered back quickly.

"Oh so it's personal now then is it" Rhys said back holding his hand to his chest as if he were heartbroken. Zoe just laughed at his reaction.

"So you alright Zo" came Gilly's boyish voice from behind her. She turned and greeted him with a smile happy that he now caused a distraction for her to change the subject.

"Yeah im good thanks Gilly, and you?" she asked politely as Rhys scanned the items.

"Ah good, so did you have a good weekend" Gilly said meaning it in a friendly way, not the patronizing and piss take way that people had been saying it to her lately.

"Yeah it was good" she replied back whilst digging her purse out of her pocket. Once she had finally manage to do that she paid Rhys and turned and left the shop calling a sincere goodbye to the two boys over her shoulder.

Once outside she began at a slow pace her journey back to halls. Using this time wisely she thought back to what had happened at the weekend.

_She could remember going out with the guys and suddenly getting separated, she then joined up with a group of students from Liverpool who all decided to head to an after party and she was invited, Zoe could remember arriving at the party and started playing some drinking games but after that everything seemed to get fuzzy_. Shaking the night from her head she carried on towards halls when Sarah suddenly came up alongside her.

"Hey Zo" she said trying to fill her voice with happiness but found it difficult. Zoe grinned back at her happy to see her closest friend.

"Hey Sar, you okay" she asked her friend slowing down a little to fall into step alongside Sarah.

"Yeah feeling a bit rough from last night but I'll live" Sarah shrugged inching closer to Zoe slightly. Zoe stifled a laugh and gazed into the brunette's eyes._ She had began to notice that whenever she did this, whenever their eyes connected it felt like an electric surge would connect them, and her heart would skip a few beats before finally slowing back to its normal pace_.

"Glad you enjoyed, hey do you fancy going for a drink in the dog, I wanna stay as far away from Kris for as long as I possibly can" Zoe offered grinning. Sarah's face lit up and she nodded. They changed direction and headed towards the pub. A long lingering silence descended acroos them but it was a comfortable one.

"We haven't done this for a while, you and me, you know gone out for a few drinks" Sarah said her hand lingering around the neck of the wine glass. She stared deeply into Zoe's eyes not wanting to lose the feeling she had when she looked at the blonde. Her stomach would flutter and everything seemed ten times as better, food tasted better, everything she saw looked better, smells were stronger, sweeter with a hint of Zoe's gorgeous perfume. _Stop it Sarah, you've got your friend back just be happy with that . . . For now_ she thought whilst finally managing to pull her gaze away.

"I know, I've missed this, the girly days out, we'll have to do it more often, only if you want to though of course" Zoe answered back taking a long swig from her beer. Sarah's face lit up even more.

"Of course we will" Sarah smiled as she placed her hand over Zoe's and squeezed lightly. The contact made her skin burn. She knew she should have pulled her hand away but her hand in Zoe's just felt so right. The feeling that rushed through her body at the contact was overwhelming.

Zoe smiled back happy by Sarah's reaction and turned her hand over so the palm was now up and her hand fitted perfectly into Sarah's. She squeezed it lightly and stroked Sarah's pale wrist. Zoe could swear she could hear the crackling of electric between them as the moment became intense. Their eyes were locked no one daring to break contact. The feel of Sarah's skin on her's was almost too much for Zoe to handle. _Cut it out Zoe_ she practically screamed at herself, _your not gay, you don't want Sarah like that, you never have and never will_ she added but still she didn't move her hand away.

The moment was so peaceful, so perfect. But it was spoilt by the shrill ringing of Zoe's phone. Zoe pulled her hand away and suddenly her hand felt cold and empty just as Sarah's did.

Flipping the phone open she laughed slightly before flipping it shut and shoving it back in her pocket.

Sarah missed the contact already and decided to put her hand in her pocket. Her heart rate was calming now. _Surely that meant something, the way she looked at me, the way she didn't pull her hand away_ Sarah pondered as she gazed down at the liquid in the wine glass.

"So uh why did you want to stay away from Kris as long as possible" Sarah asked trying to cut through the awkward tension that had now descended upon them.

"Oh well I'm his Barbie doll tonight, he's dressing me up for my date" Zoe grinned at the thought but the grin disappeared as a look of hurt filled Sarah's features.

"That's, that's nice" Sarah stammered her heart breaking a little every second. _She thought they were getting somewhere, Signs were popping up and practically screaming I love you, but now this was the killing blow._

"Yeah I can't wait" Zoe said trying to fill her voice with excitement but she couldn't. It killed her to see Sarah looking so upset. _She never used to be like this, they used to talk about boys, and who each other were going out with all the time, so why now was Sarah, getting jealous?_ Zoe thought as she rested her head on her elbow.

"So who's the lucky guy" Sarah stuttered trying her hardest to be supportive but she knew that Zoe knew it was a false attempt. _This shoudln't be happening, she should be going on a date with me._

"Uhh that guy I met last night Nathan, he uhh, he waited for me to wake this morning and said he wanted to take me on a date tonight" Zoe said wanting to put it as gently as possible. The same question though was still ringing in her head. _Surely, surely Sarah doesn't, doesn't have feeling for me does she_ Zoe thought absent mindedly.

"Zoe he's a stranger, anything could happen, look what happened the last time you went out with strangers" Sarah said trying to say anything that would stop Zoe going on this date. Sarah stopped what she was about to say realizing that she had just slipped up.

"What the hell do you mean" Zoe said instantly jumping into her defensive mode. She had only now been starting to relax, to finally getting back to her old carefree happy go lucky self. And now, this happened.

"Look I'm just saying you went missing for two days, what if this guy is dodgy, you could go missing permanently" Sarah said anger beginning to surface slightly. Her face was red and her hands gripped the side of the table hard.

"You don't know him" Zoe growled before throwing her chair back getting up and walking off. Sarah not wanting to let her get away with it stormed after her. Catching up with the speeding Zoe she gripped her arm and swung her around so they were now face to face.

"Neither do you" Sarah said angrily her finger right up in Zoe's face. Zoe pushed her arm away from her and narrowed her eyes.

"Oh don't give me that you hypocrite, you know after that whole thing with me and you, you did exactly the same, went out, got drunk, slept with anyone, so why shouldn't I do it huh" she said keeping her voice low. Sarah would have rathered she shouted at her, the old Zoe would have, but this Zoe, she was menacing and cutting.

"Because that was me, that person, that isn't you Zoe, I'm just thinking of you, that's all" Sarah replied pinching the bridge of her nose trying to stop the tears that were bound to escape in the coming minutes.

"Sarah why all of a sudden do you care, you haven't cared for the last few weeks about anything, anything concerning me, so why now" Zoe challenged as she moved closer to Sarah their faces only inches apart.

_This hurt Sarah. It stung her deeply. Didn't care, Zoe thought she didn't care about her. All Sarah did was care, where she was, how she was doing, how she was feeling, the fear she felt when Archie told her she had gone missing. She remembered that Saturday clearly._

* * *

_Sarah was walking down the street idly heading home after her and Steph had finished their dance lesson. Suddenly from nowhere Archie ran up to her and grabbed her._

_"Have you seen Zoe, has she contacted you or anything" he said breathlessly his face covered in a thin layer of sweat. His breathing was heavy and she couldnt help but instantly notice the fright in his brown eyes._

_Sarah shook her head suddenly alarmed. "No I haven't, why, Archie what's wrong" she asked fear filling the pit of her stomach. What's happened?._

_"Zoe she, we all went out last night, into town and Zoe had wandered off, all night these sleazy guys were coming up to her in a group and asking her for a dance or a kiss but she turned them all down, when we decided to go home I went to look for her but I couldn't find her, I rang her and she didn't answer, so Nancy went outside to look for her and when she came back in all she had in her hand was Zoe's bag and no sign of Zoe. She wasn't answering her phone and she hasn't got in touch with us, i'm scared Sarah, i'm scared somethings happened to her" Archie practically cried._

_Sarah's face paled considerably and she felt like she was going to be sick. Where was Zoe, what happened to her Zoe?. Suddenly all these feelings began to envelope her. All the things she had tried to bury, to keep away from the blonde were brewing dangerously close to the top. All the things she wanted to say to Zoe, they would never be said if something bad had happened to her._

_"Have you called the police" Sarah said her voice shrieking in horror. Archie nodded his head._

_"They said she needs to be gone for at least 48 hours before they could enquire anything, they just thought she's wandered off with some other friends and dropped her bag" Archie said as he rubbed the sweat from his head. Sarah had never seen him this worked up, never seen him this innocent._

_"Oh god, please don't say anything has happened to her" Sarah choked up as tears stung her eye's._

_Archie just shrugged weakly. "I wish I could Sar, look I've got to go, Nancy and Hannah and Kris are out asking around, I should be to" Archie said quickly before sprinting off past her. Sarah could only watch him go in shock._

_That night Sarah was lay in her bed her knees pulled up to her chest. Her chin rested on her knees and tears slipped down her face as sobs racked her small frame. The Woman that she loved, the woman that she wanted to be with for the rest of her life was gone, for who knew how long, maybe a few days, maybe a few weeks, but maybe for the rest of her life._

_Once she had managed to try and sleep the only images that plagues her minds were ones of horror. Some of Zoe lying on the stone floor covered in blood, other's of her mutilated body tangled and twisted in a gutter. She can remember jumping from the bed and being violently sick._

* * *

"You think I don't care, Zoe when you were gone all I thought about was how my life would be if I lost my best friend, I cried myself to sleep over you, and then I was so happy that you were home, but what has happened to you Zoe, why have you turned to drugs, fair enough drink but not drugs" she almost yelled her face right in Zoe's now.

"Sarah what are you talking about" Zoe said her voice dropping slightly but the anger and venom lacing her voice.

"I found the drugs, in your pocket" Sarah seethed the anger over them that she had held in for the last day had now spilled over the surface.

"Drugs, Sarah I have not done drugs" Zoe said pushing Sarah violently. Sarah went flying backwards her back hitting the stone wall hard. Zoe didn't know where the sudden bhurst of anger came from.

"Zoe don't lie to me I saw them with my own eyes and pulled them out of the jeans pockets you were wearing the night you went missing" Sarah growled back restraining herself from pushing Zoe.

"You're lying, just leave me alone Sarah" Zoe yelled her anger getting the better of her and she turned and walked off her feet stamping the ground hard. Sarah was about to follow her once more but all the fight had left her body and she leaned against the wall tears that she held back during the argument began to spill over and they trickled down her face as she stood alone in the alleyway.

* * *

"Zo, you should be happy, I mean you're going on a very hot date tonight" Kris joked as he flicked through her wardrobe. Sending a glance over his shoulder he looked at her dejected form. Shutting the wardrobe he dropped down on the bed next to her.

"Come on then, why you looking so glum" Kris said softly putting a warm arm around her shoulders. She merely shrugged not knowing what to say to him.

"I argued with Sarah again, just when I thought we were getting back to normal, just when I thought the bridges were mended and then all this happens" Zoe said waving her hand idly through the air.

"What was it this time" Kris asked kindly running a hand through Zoe's blonde hair.

"She, she was trying to convince me, to-, to not go on this date tonight, why she even cares about what I do" Zoe said trying to stop her voice from breaking. _She knew why. All the signs were there but she couldn't face up to it just yet._

"Of course she cares, you know when we couldn't find you, she was out, searching for you, till 12 o clock in the night, she was shouting and screaming for you, I found her on the floor down a side street crying her eyes out Zo" Kris said not knowing whether he was meant to be revealing this but did so to try and convince her.

A look of shock came across Zoe's face. "She did, she was looking for me" Zoe said stunned. She had never thought Sarah would react the way she had whilst they weren't talking but no she was proven wrong.

"Look Zoe, go and see her later, but still go on this date okay, you can't start putting everything on stand-by, go and have fun" Kris reassured hoping his advice would work. Zoe nodded her head and tried to send him a smile. _She really does care for me_ she thought her heart skipping slightly.

* * *

"Ta Da" Kris said as Zoe walked into the living room. Elliot laughed at Kris's enthusiasm.

"Leave the girl alone will you, you've had her in there for four hours plus" Elliot laughed throwing down his Sci Fi magazine and looking at the two.

"Hey I've been working the fisher magic" Kris answered placing his hand firmly on his hips and laughing.

"Right you two, I am off and I will see you later, Kris thank you for your help" she said giving him a peck on the cheek and heading out the door waving a goodbye.

* * *

**So Zoe is starting to realize her feelings, what will happen next, oh the drama, review if you enjoyed.**


	4. Kill Me & Kiss Me

"So I had a lovely night tonight, thank you" Zoe said as she watched Nathan pay for the bill. The waiter began to clean off the table and his eyes brushed over Zoe cheekily. Zoe smiled slightly but turned her head her gaze focusing on Nathan.

"Me too, come on then, let's head off" Nathan said standing up and holding his hand out for her to take which she did slowly. Even though she had a brilliant night with Nathan, her mind kept drifting back to Sarah. Being was Nathan wasn't the same as earlier when she was with Sarah. Everything seemed to be brighter when the brunette was around.

"Hey you okay, you look distracted" Nathan said as their entwined hands swung back and forth between them. Zoe shook her head.

"Nah just tired that's all" Zoe answered sending him one of her best smiles. He grinned his gorgeous smile and he turned and stopped her on the spot.

"Hey would like to go for a walk with me, get to know each other a bit more" he said his voice soft as he led her out of the restaurant and down the street. They walked down there in silence each sending glances to each other and smiling widely. After walking for about ten minutes they had ended up in an area of Chester that Zoe didn't know.

"Where are we" Zoe asked looking around at the deserted area. She could her the engines of cars in the back round but other then that the place was quiet.

When Zoe didn't get an answer she looked at Nathan and his usually handsome face was menacing and suddenly he grabbed her by the hair and threw her up against the wall. Her head hit it hard and she groaned in pain. Wrapping his hand around her throat tightly he began to speak.

"Where are the drugs" he growled his usual soft voice now hard and cruel. Zoe's eyes were wide with horror as she struggled for breath.

"What drugs" she managed to choke out as her hands scratched at his in vain.

"The ones that you took at the party on the weekend" he said again as he put more pressure on her throat. Zoe tried to breathe, tried to scream but nothing came.

"I don't know, I didn't take any drugs" she choked as his release loosened enough for her to finally speak. He let her drop and before she could do anything he sent his fist flying into her stomach. She doubled over in pain as her knees went from underneath her and scraped the hard rocky floor. She moaned in pain as the air left her body. Leaning down he gripped her by the hair once more and slammed her back up against the same wall.

"Do you know how much what you had was worth, you were meant to have the cheap stuff, the stuff that we didn't know where it had come from, instead there was a mix up and you were given the pure cocaine, the small bag you were given was worth an estimated 10,000 grand, and we need it back so where is it" he screamed and punched her across the face. Her body flew sideways and she grabbed onto the wall to hold herself up.

"I don't know where it's gone, I didn't even know I had anything on me" she pleaded as she managed to stand to full height. Just as she did that another punch landed on her and she fell to the floor. Nathan jumped on top of her and gripped her by the collar with one hand and punched her another few times.

"Please I don't know" she whimpered as pain racked her body. She was struggling to keep her eyes open. When she breathed her ribs ached and she could taste the coppery blood that filled her mouth.

"You've got one week, to either find the drugs, or come up with ten grand, because if you don't, your pretty little face won't be seen by anyone for the next few decades understand, and if you dare tell the police about this, then it's not just you i'd hurt" he said as he shook her violently. Zoe just nodded, she couldn't fight back she was to weak. He climbed off of her and sent a few soaring kicks into her stomach before turning and walking off.

Zoe was lay in the side street. Blood and cuts and bruises covered her face and a long rip stretched down her dress where his kick had ripped the fabric.

_Come on Zoe, we need to find a way home, find Sarah and ask her where she put the drugs and this whole thing can be sorted_ she thought logically as she put her hands out ready to push herself up. After a long struggle through blinding pain she got to her feet and limped weakly out of the lane.

She limped slowly down the street until she found a familiar road and pulled her phone out and rang for a taxi. Standing on the street she saw the state of her face. Blood smeared across most of her pale skin, from her nose, her lips, her mouth, and a thick gash above her eye which slightly obscured her vision by tinting it red.

Running a painful hand through her hair she felt the hot wet liquid in the back of her head and pulled her hand back to see blood covering her fingers. Pain crippled her body but she held on until the taxi arrived. Climbing in she slumped onto the seat and told the driver where to go. Thankfully it was dark so the driver couldn't really notice her appearance but she could tell he knew something was wrong.

* * *

Zoe practically crawled out of the taxi paying the driver and carrying her heels in her hands. She slowly and dizzily walked down the street towards halls when suddenly a familiar figure came into view. There stood ahead leaning against the rails was Sarah her head in her hands. She was in the light of the streetlamp and it made her body looked radiant.

Zoe headed towards her her vision going double but she carried on. Her throat burned in agony and the blood was now half dried on her face.

She stopped just sort of Sarah cowering in the darkness.

"Sarah" she croaked at her voice had gone raspy and hoarse. Sarah's head whipped around at the voice.

"Uhh Zoe, hey" Sarah said wondering why Zoe's voice was the way it was. Sarah squinted her eyes and noticed straight away that there was something wrong.

"Sarah, I need your help" she mumbled dizzily her words slurred as her head pounded. Her hand gripped the rail tighter as pain filled her body.

"Zoe are you alright" Sarah asked slightly alarmed by how Zoe was sounding and acting. She didn't sound drunk, she sounded hurt. Sarah turned her body to look at Zoe. The dark shadow that Zoe stood in made it harder for her to see but she could make out a long rip through the silver sparkly dress.

"Zoe come here" Sarah said as she stretched out her hands to pull Zoe into the light. Zoe didn't move she was just stood there stunned. _I should have gone home, got changed and then talked to her_ she thought her body shaking with agony. When Zoe didn't move Sarah grabbed her hands and pulled her into the light.

She gasped in horror as she took in Zoe blood soaked face. Bruises blood and cuts littered her face. Her soft porcelain skin was barely visible under the layer of crimson liquid.

"Jesus Zoe, what happened" Sarah said as she pulled Zoe closer to her. Zoe gripped on to Sarah using her to support her weight. "I'm calling an ambulance" Sarah said and she went to grab her phone from her pocket when Zoe's hand stopped her. It was cold. Not warm like it was earlier.

"Please, this, this is serious, don't call an ambulance just yet" Zoe managed to get out her voice rasping worse with every sentence.

"Zoe, your hurt, I'm calling an ambulance" Sarah said going for her phone again but once more Zoe stopped her her eyes filled with pleading.

"It's about the drugs, please I need to talk to you about them first" Zoe said her hands gripping Sarah's shirt.

"Okay, my place is empty we can speak there" Sarah said not sure if she as doing the right thing and Zoe just nodded weakly. As she turned to walk off the dizziness she felt made her fall forward but before she could hit anything Sarah had her arms tightly around her waist.

"Woah, easy" Sarah cooed in Zoe's ear as she guided her slowly over to the house.

_Why is she covered in so much blood, who did this to her, I'm gonna kill them I swear to god no one, no one hits my Zoe_ she thought angrily as she slowly led Zoe around the village. She could tell her friend was in pain and she would have done anything to numb it, to take it away, but she knew it was impossible.

After five long minutes they had finally managed to get into the Barnes household. Sarah flicked the light on and gently lowered Zoe onto the settee. Running into the kitchen she pulled out the first aid kit. Now that she could see Zoe in real light her injuries looked a lot worse. Bruises wrapped around her neck and you could see the pressure marks made by the big hands that had been choking her. Her lip was split in two places and blood covered nearly all of her face. A thick gash lined her forehead and that seemed to be where most of the blood had come from. Angry bruises and red indentations skated across her face and she could see dried blood which had matted the back of her blonde hair. Looking down at the dress she studied the rip. She began to feel sick she wondered how she had acquired these injuries. She then looked at Zoe's feet that were cut to pieces and at her knees which had two big blood patches on each.

"Zoe right what about the drugs" Sarah asked trying to keep calm as she dabbed at Zoe's face with a warm cloth. Zoe didn't even flinch and Sarah could tell that she was in shock.

"Zo, I need you to tell me about the drugs" she repeated this time a bit louder. Zoe turned to stare directly into her eyes.

"Nathan, he, he was with us, at the weekend, I was given cocaine there, It was meant to be cheap stuff but the batch got mixed up and instead it was pure cocaine and that little bag was valued at ten grand, and if I don't get it back to them in a week, or get them ten thousand pounds, then –" Zoe trailed off her eyes widening.

Sarah's mouth had fallen to the floor._ Pure cocaine, no wonder we didn't see her all weekend_ she screamed inwardly. But then the dreading feeling she already had in her stomach multiplied as she pondered what the end of Zoe's answer would be.

"Zoe, what are they going to do, please tell me" Sarah pleaded taking Zoe's injured face in her soft pale hands.

"Then they're going to kill me" she choked out her voice flat. Sarah recoiled in horror. _Someone would be coming to kill Zoe, her Zoe, over drugs._

"Sarah when you found the drugs, where did you put them, I need to get them back to him, I, I don't want to die Sar, not over this" Zoe pleaded her hands gripping a hold of Sarah's tightly.

Sarah's gaze dropped to the floor and tears pricked at her eyes. _The drugs._

"I, I took them from your pocket, and I threw them in the bin outside halls" Sarah stuttered out a stray tear escaping her brown eyes and falling down her face.

Zoe eyes went wide in fear. "Please no, please they'll kill me if I don't get them to them" Zoe said her voice panicked. Sarah's heart was ripped to shreds at Zoe's fragile state, she had never seen her friend look so vulnerable as she did now.

"I'm sorry Zoe, maybe, maybe there still there" Sarah said knowing she was grasping at straws now but she wanted to think of anything else other then the possibility that this may be her last week with Zoe.

Zoe just shook her head "Rubbish day was today, the bin's have gone" she muttered her head hanging low on her chest.

Sarah couldn't speak, she felt like all the air was smashed out of her in one big thump. _It's all my fault, Zoe might be dead this time next week and it's all my fault_ she cried mentally her stomach turning.

"I'll help you Zoe, I promise I'll try and find the ten grand and we'll get this sorted, this all my fault and I'm gonna help you get it fixed I promise" Sarah cried her heart aching for Zoe.

"We're not gonna find it Sarah it's impossible, I guess" she said but stopped short of her sentence before taking a big gulp and continuing, "I guess I just have to come terms to the fact that I've only got a week left to live" Zoe croaked out tears pricking at her eyes. She had always been so brave, so strong, but in the last few weeks, she had become weak, and vulnerable, and she didn't like it.

"Don't say that, don't you dare give up, we're gonna get through this" Sarah said taking her friends bruised face in her hands and moving closer. Sarah couldn't believe that Zoe was just giving up, _the Zoe she knew would never give up, she would have fought and kept positive._

"Are we" Zoe said her voice childlike as she gazed deep into Sarah's eyes.

Sarah nodded her head and pulled Zoe onto her lap. Tears slipped down both their faces as Zoe's head rested in the crook of Sarah's neck. Sarah had one arm around the blonde's back and the other under her legs cradling her to her body. She felt the tears land on her chest and sighed into Zoe's matted hair. _She had wanted to be able to hold Zoe like this for weeks, but not under these circumstances._

Sarah didn't know how long they had been there for but she had noticed that the tears had stopped falling down her face and Zoe's. Looking down at the older girl she sighed as she took in her scared features. Leaning forward she grabbed the warm cloth and began to wipe the blood away off of Zoe's face. Zoe didn't move she just lay there against Sarah her eyes focused on one spot in front of her.

Once she had got the blood off of her face she began to dab at Zoe's knees and soon the blood was gone off that and all that was there now was two big grazes. One question was really bugging Sarah though, _why was her dress ripped, a few punches to the face wouldn't have made her dress rip._

"Zoe, did he, did he you know" she said trying to get it out as clearly as possible but she felt to ill not wanting the answer to be the one that she was thinking.

Zoe shook her head slowly. "No, he didn't" she answered knowing what Sarah meant. Sarah let out the breath she hadn't known she was holding.

"I need to know, what did he do to you, I mean how did he get a chance to hurt you" she whispered into Zoe's head. Zoe instinctively snuggled closer into Sarah's body.

"He asked me did I want to go for a walk, I thought nothing of it so I went along, about ten minutes later I noticed we were somewhere I didn't recognize, but when I asked him about it he just grabbed me and threw me up against a wall" Zoe began the tone in her voice flat. Sarah listened carefully her heart pounding.

"He grabbed me by the throat and started to strangle me screaming and shouting asking me where the drugs were, I kept telling him I didn't know but that made him squeeze harder, when he finally stopped choking me he started to punch me, a few times to my face and a few to my stomach until I was down on the floor" Zoe continued her gaze averting Sarah's one.

"He jumped on top of me and just hit me over and over again, in the stomach, in my face, slamming my head against the floor until he warned me what would happen if I didn't get him what he wanted, he climbed off me but started to kick me, I couldn't breathe, I was choking on my own blood, but finally he just turned and walked off and left me in that lane, left me to die" Zoe sobbed as more tears started to roll down her face. She was still in pain but somehow, being wrapped in Sarah's arms seemed to numb the pain, even if it was only slightly.

"Oh Zoe" Sarah said her voice filled with upset and emotional hurt. Zoe didn't answer after that, she merely just lay there quietly. She couldn't speak, she didn't know what to tell Sarah, about the weekend.

"Stay here tonight, with me" Sarah asked not wanting to let Zoe out of her sight. Zoe nodded her head weakly and tiredly and Sarah lifted the blonde off her to one side before getting to her feet and holding her hand out for Zoe to take. Zoe tried to get up from the settee but found it impossible with the amount of pain she was in so Sarah walked around to the back of the settee and wrapped her arms around Zoe's slim waist and gently eased her up to her feet.

Sarah didn't leave go as she led Zoe down the winding halls of the house until finally they had got to Sarah's room. Sarah dropped Zoe slowly onto the bed and went over to her draws pulling out a fresh pair of pajamas. Walking back over to Zoe she carefully put the trousers around her ankles and pulled them right up.

Zoe went to grab the dress and lift it over her head but she cried out in pain and instantly dropped her arms. Sarah knelt down in front of her in fear and grabbed the hem of Zoe's dress slowly easing each hand out of the sides until finally the dress was off. Once the dress was off Sarah took in Zoe's usually pale torso and winced as she saw large bruises and boot prints covering it. Sarah not wanting to see anymore grabbed the pajama top and pulled it down over Zoe's head.

"Come on you sleep" Sarah said as she grabbed the duvet and pulled it up to Zoe's chin. Zoe just mumbled something incoherent and Sarah turned to walk away when a small hand wrapped around her's.

"Don't leave" Zoe said pulling Sarah back to the bed. Zoe's voice was filled with the fear of a child who had just had a bad nightmare. Sarah just nodded and moved over to the other side and slid under the covers next to Zoe. Zoe instantly turned and pressed herself right up to Sarah putting one arm around her waist. _She felt safe here, like nothing could touch her, nothing could hurt her._ Sarah responded by wrapping her arms around her and resting her head on Zoe's. She breathed in her sweet smell and sighed as she traced sift patterns on Zoe's back. Zoe looked up at her catching her eye.

"Thank you" Zoe said quietly trying to smile but found it impossible with the pain she was in.

"For what, I got you into this mess, if I hadn't have butted in then maybe these idiots wouldn't be after you, if I had just let them be" Sarah answered guiltily.

"It's my fault Sar, don't blame yourself, if I hadn't been acting like a selfish cow and just stayed with the guys then this definitely wouldn't have happened" she croaked back not liking it that Sarah was blaming herself. Sarah ran her hand across Zoe's stomach being careful not to hurt her.

Sarah didn't know what to say, there was still so much to know, like what had happened that weekend.

"It's okay, we can sort all this in the morning, just sleep" she mumbled into her head watching as Zoe shifted her position slightly. Sarah didn't know how much time had passed but found she enjoyed watching Zoe sleep. The blonde was snuggled right into her body and the feel of her skin on her was driving her crazy. She didn't know what had possessed her but she founding herself tilting Zoe's sleeping face up towards her and she planted a careful kiss on her lips. Sarah let her lips linger there wanting to savour Zoe's sweet taste. As she was about to pull back she felt Zoe respond to the kiss. She kept her lips there and enjoyed the pressure Zoe was putting on her's. Knowing she needed air she reluctantly pulled away and smiled at Zoe who's eyes were still slightly shut.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have, not like that" Sarah said realizing that she had taken advantage of Zoe's current situation. Zoe shook her head.

"No it's okay Sar, I kissed you back, I could have pulled away but I didn't" she said dropping her head back into Sarah's shoulder sleepily. Sarah smiled to herself and hugged her closer to her body planting a kiss on her head.

"We'll talk about everything in the morning" Sarah cooed and she finally let her eyes drift shut her mind still reeling in awe from their shared moment.

* * *

**Aww, so the Zorah love is beginning, hmm so how will it all turn out, will Zoe get the money and will the two get their chance together review if you liked**


	5. Confessions To Carpenters

**So the support has been brilliant, thank you guys, enjoy the latest installment :)**

* * *

Zoe cracked her eyes open slowly and pain instantly hit her body. It was ten times as worse today then what it was last night. Rolling over carefully she looked around noticed that Sarah was nowhere in sight. _Great, she's gone, she regretted what happened between us lat night_ Zoe thought to herself fear filling her stomach as she thought that Sarah had regretted it.

But that thought quickly disappeared as Sarah slowly crept back into the room over to her. "Good morning, how are you feeling" Sarah asked kindly as she put down to paracetemols and a glass of water beside Zoe. Perching herself at the end of the bed she grabbed Zoe's hand in her own.

"I'm in so much pain" Zoe said her voice strained. Sarah looked down at the battered girl and couldn't believe how bad she looked. She began to rub small soothing circles on the soft skin of Zoe's palm.

"I'm not surprised, go on, you go and have a shower and I'll make you something to eat" Sarah said gently pulling Zoe up off the bed. Zoe staggered a little bit so she carefully placed her hands on Zoe's waist to steady her and led her towards the shower room.

"You seem to like touching my waist" Zoe joked trying to get herself back to normal. Sarah stifled a laugh at the girls humor and kept on walking behind her.

"Who wouldn't" she answered back her mouth now right up at Zoe's ear. Zoe gulped as Sarah's soft breath on her ear and neck sent shivers down her spine._ She could get used to this most definitely._

Sarah placed some clean towels on the rack and took one last look at Zoe who was turning on the shower. "You going to be to okay" she asked as she watched Zoe struggle to reach the shower but eventually she did.

"I'll be fine Sar" Zoe answered back sending s small painful smile at Sarah. Sarah just nodded and walked out of the bathroom closing the door behind her. Zoe took one glance at the door before jumping into the shower.

* * *

"She's over yours, good I got worried when she didn't come home" Zak said down the phone to Sarah who was slowly finishing cooking breakfast.

"Why did she go to you anyway, i thought you two weren't even talking" Zak asked curiously the last thing he had heard was that the two of them had argued.

"She had a rough night, things didn't go according to plan with Nathan, look I'm cooking at the moment so I'll ring you later okay Zak" Sarah said before hanging up the phone and tossing it to one side. Dropping the pans in her hands she pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.

Just as she did this she heard dragging feet coming towards her, turning around she found Zoe dressed in some of the clothes that she had left behind here before one hand wrapped around her stomach clutching it tightly. A pained expression was on her face.

"Sit I've almost finished food" Sarah said and she watched Zoe intently as she headed towards the table, she was stood ready to run forward if Zoe should fall or lose her footing but thankfully she managed to get herself sat down. Her hair was wet and tousled from where she had towel dried it.

"That shower has done wonders, I'm still in pain but it has really soothed it" Zoe breathed slowly positioning herself so her body didn't ache. Her right eye was practically sealed shut and swollen and bruises and cuts littered her face.

Sarah turned the cooker off and walked over to the table where Zoe was sat. Kneeling down in front of her she sighed. "Zo, please can I take you to the hospital to get you checked out" Sarah asked sweetly wanting to make sure that Zoe would be okay.

Zoe nodded her head stiffly. "I was thinking of going, but what will I say, I mean hospitals report beatings and stuff like that, what will I say to the police" Zoe asked her voice hoarser then ever.

"We'll figure that out when we get there" Sarah said getting back to her feet and began to dish out the food onto the plates.

* * *

Once they had finished their food Sarah put the plates over in the sink and moved Zoe from the table to the settee. Sitting down next to her she wrapped a gentle arm around her shoulder's pulling her closer into her side.

"Look about what happened last night, I'm sorry if, if you thought I was taking advantage if you, do you regret it" Sarah said quietly finally saying what she had been meaning to say all morning.

"No I don't, you weren't taking advantage of me Sar, I knew what I was doing, if I hadn't have found you last night, I'd probably be dead outside by now" Zoe said trying to bring the subject to lighter note, though she knew it made it darker.

"Don't say that Zoe, I can't think about that" Sarah answered her body tensing at Zoe mentioning her dying. _She couldn't lose her, she couldn't think of her life without the tall blonde with her, by her side._

"You're gonna have to Sar, I'll probably be dead this time next week anyway" Zoe resigned. She had thought over ways of how to get the money but nothing added up. She had four grand in her bank account, but how she would make up the other 6 grand she didn't know. She could ask for Archie's share but she didn't want to burden him with what she had got herself into.

"No Zoe, I've got money put away, your parents are loaded I'm sure you've got some in your bank account, please, don't give up just yet, for me, don't give up" Sarah said her voice pleading with Zoe. She put her hand on Zoe's cheek and Zoe leaned into her hand closing her eyes and breathing in her scent.

"I'll try" Zoe answered her eyes still closed. Sarah's words had filled her with a bit of hope. _She didn't want to lose her, not when only now she had her_. Zoe still had her eyes closed deep in thought when suddenly there was pressure on her lips. Opening her eyes Sarah's eyes were now an inch from her's wide and filled with caring. Zoe leaned into the kiss pushing her lips against Sarah's harder and her hands skated down the brunette's arms. Sarah gently eased Zoe down so she was on her back and Sarah was above her, supporting her weight on her elbows. She placed hot kisses on Zoe's neck and collar bone and back onto her lips. Zoe lost one hand in Sarah's hair fixing her head firmly in place whilst Sarah snaked her arm around to the nape of Zoe's neck. The kiss began to get a lot more heated as their tongues battled for dominance. Neither one of them wanted to break the moment but knew they had to as the need for air grew to great.

"Don't give up Zoe, promise me, I don't want to hear I'll try, I want you to say I wont" Sarah repeated her eyes stinging with tears as she looked down at the pretty blonde. Zoe sucked in deeply and a small smile graced her face.

"I won't give up Sar, I promise" Zoe said back and Sarah beamed as she leaned her forehead against Zoe's the both still breathless. Zoe wanted to believe sarah's words, she wanted to believe that she could carry on and get through this. But she knew there was always a chance, that the worst might happen.

After a long few minutes, with the two of them gazing intently into each other's eyes and planting soft kisses on each other's lips Sarah finally and reluctantly pulled back once more. "Come on you, I'm gonna take you to the hospital, and on the way back I can see how much money I've got in the bank yeah" Sarah said as the two got to their feet slowly. Zoe groaned as she got to her feet.

* * *

"Okay Miss Carpenter, you have concussion, not serious but you will need to take these pills to keep the swelling down, cuts and bruises, two bruised ribs but they'll be healed within the next three to four days, and the stitches in the cut above your eye will automatically disintegrate so you won't have to come back here" the doctor said as he handed her a small bottle of pills. Zoe just nodded whilst he sealed a gauze bandage of the stitches.

He folded his flip chart down and looked at her curiously. "May I ask how you acquired these injuries" he asked his eyes studying her. Zoe didn't know what to say, it felt like there was something stuck in her throat, just as she was about to start Sarah smoothly cut across her.

"Her and alcohol in the afternoon doesn't mix, and especially when her boyfriends ex starts goading her, it got ugly" she replied laughing slightly. Zoe let out a small chuckle and nodded.

"You should see her" Zoe just grinned her eyes twinkling. She looked at Sarah and the two beamed widely. It seemed when ever they were together a permanent smile was etched on their faces. The doctor just shook his head.

"So if a young girl with worse injuries then you comes into my hospital today I know who caused it yes" he uttered a tiny smile on his face as he tried to stay professional.

The two girls just nodded and Zoe hopped down off the bed. They said their thank you's and their goodbyes and headed briskly out of the pristine white hospital. Luckily a cab had just pulled up at the curb and the two jumped into it.

"Hollyoaks village please" Sarah said and the driver nodded and pulled off heading towards the small chester village.

* * *

After a twenty minute drive in complete silence the cab stopped and Sarah paid the fee before hopping out and helping Zoe out of the car. Thankfully there was no one really about to notice them as they scurried around the corner to the cash machine.

"You know I can walk" Zoe said as Sarah still held onto her arms tightly. Sarah laughed and let her arms dropped to her side.

"Just making sure" Sarah answered before pulling out her card and pressing it into the big blue machine. Once she had entered her pin she chose to look at her balance. Finally her balance flashed up. £500.

Sarah sighed dejectedly and Zoe dropped her head onto her chest. "It's okay Sar, it was worth a try" Zoe muttered her eyes never meeting Sarah's brown ones.

"I've got a spare account, umm it's my dads, well it's mine but, it's my university funds, he's been saving it since I was three, there has to be a good few grand in there" Sarah said hope filling her cheeks.

"I can't take that money off you Sar, it's Mike's, for you, for your future, I can't accept it" Zoe said not wanting to touch that money. That was Sarah's security, her future could rest in that money. If anything happened to her she wanted Sarah to have security.

"And I can't sit back and watch you die Zoe, especially seems as I was the one who blew this whole thing out proportion" Sarah answered her voice low but full of feeling and passion.

"Don't start that Sar, it was my fault end of, look I think, I think I'm going to tell Archie, he has money, the same amount as me, 4000, that makes eight thousand then there's only two thousand to go" Zoe said her mind going into over drive.

"Are you sure you can trust Archie" Sarah asked pulling her card from the machine. She turned to look at Zoe a stern glare.

"Sarah, he's my brother, sure he's a complete pleb but I can trust him" Zoe answered back rubbing her head gently as she could as a sharp pain throbbed behind her eyes.

Sarah just resigned herself to the idea. _As long as it helps Zoe_ she thought and nodded her head.

"I'm gonna ring him and tell him to meet me in the park, I think I better do this alone, if you don't mind" Zoe said as she gripped a hold of her cellphone. Sarah nodded again and her heart sank. _Alone, why doesn't she want me to come with her, to support her_ she thought thousands of thoughts rushing through her head as why Zoe didn't want to be with her.

Zoe picked up on this and put the phone down to her side and took a step forward. "I'll be straight back over to yours as soon as I've done it okay" Zoe said a reassuring smile on her face and she pulled Sarah to her as tightly as her body would let her. Sarah relaxed into the embrace and hugged her lover back.

"Good, I'm gonna try and dig out that card, I know it's in the house somewhere, I'll see you later yeah" Sarah said and she pulled away and stared at Zoe. The bruises and cuts were horrific but she saw beneath all that. _She saw deep into Zoe and it made her smile. It made her feel great to be alive and be there with the woman she loved, and god be damned if he thought of taking his angel back anytime soon_. "Are you gonna be okay, walking on your own, I mean what if someone comes after you" Sarah said worry starting to get the better of her.

"Sarah I'll be fine, it's in the middle of the day with lots of people around, I'll be fine" Zoe soothed instantly easing the worries that were filling Sarah's small stomach.

"Okay I trust you, see you later" Sarah answered and forced a smile. She wasn't happy with leaving Zoe walk on her own but knew it was something she had to do. She couldn't molly-coddle her every hour of the day.

Zoe nodded and with one last glance at Sarah she turned and stalked off towards the park putting the phone up to her ear.

* * *

"Zoe what the hell happened" Archie practically yelled as he sprinted the last few metres over to his sister who was sat quietly on a park bench. He stopped in front of her and began to instantly check her over. Zoe pushed his hand away and took a deep breath.

"Look Archie I'm in trouble, a lot of trouble, I owe people money, and if I don't get it to them by next week then I'll have some serious problems, I wouldn't ask if I didn't need help" Zoe began trying to buy as much time as she could before telling Archie what happened.

"Zoe just tell me what happened and you can have whatever you want, why are you in trouble, who did that to you" Archie said as he sat down next to his sister his eyes wide with worry.

_So much for buying yourself some time Zo_ she thought to herself as she let her head drop a little, "It was Nathan" Zoe began but was quickly cut across by Archie.

"That son of a bitch I'm gonna kill him" he practically shrieked jumping to his feet. Zoe managed to grab a hold of him and pull him back down.

"Archie, wait, just let me explain" Zoe said her voice even though still hoarse filled with begging and her eyes were pleading with him. Archie just shrugged his shoulders and relaxed turning to stare at his sister.

"That weekend that I disappeared, I was with some students from Chester, we were having fun, then I was given a bag of cocaine for free by someone". Archie's eyes were wide and Zoe was worried that they were gonna burst out of their socket's at any given second. _She's done drugs, my sensible sister has done drugs_ he thought to himself trying to get his thoughts in order. "The cheap stuff, that's what it was meant to be, but instead, instead it was mixed up with another batch, which was Pure Cocaine, and that was what was in my bag" Zoe continued ashamedly her eyes not daring to look back at Archie. "So when I came home, I still had half a bag left, in my pocket, but Sarah found it and panicked and threw it in the bin, Nathan was sent to spy on me to get it back, and on our date he attacked me and threatened me, either I give him the drugs, or I give him ten grand, and if I don't give him one of them, then their going to kill me, I've got till Monday to get the ten grand Arch and I really really need your help" Zoe said her eyes finally meeting her brothers brown ones. Her hand gripped his arm tighter making sure that his attention was fixed on her.

Archie just nodded in shock. "I've got four grand, the four grand that dad gave me, and Sarah's trying to find some money from somewhere, I'll pay you back I promise, I swear I'll find a way to get the money back to you" Zoe begged as her voice began to crack slightly.

"Zoe it's not the money I'm worried about, take it, I've still got five grand in my account that'll make nine, but Zoe can I ask you something" Archie said as he took Zoe small hand in his large one.

Zoe just shook her head waiting for his question. "Why, why did you go and do something so stupid that it now could kill you" Archie asked his eyes glazed over with tears. _Her disappearing for two days was enough but losing her for good. He didn't think he would be able to cope._

Zoe just dropped her head down onto her chest and what sounded like a small whimper escaped her plump pale lips. "I don't know Arch, everything had been going so wrong, so wrong for the last month I just thought I'd let my hair down, I thought the drink" she hesitated before continuing. "And the drugs would help block it out, but now, now it's made everything ten times worse, because I was acting like a stupid immature childish selfish pratt" she said her voice getting angrier as she said this and she slammed her hand onto the wood of the bench hard. Archie quickly pulled her hand into his tighter stopping her from doing it again.

"I didn't mean for it to get this far" she said tears stinging her eyes and starting to cloud her vision. "I didn't mean for it to go out of control" she said as finally a small tear escaped her eye and slid down her bruised cheek.

"Why don't you just report them to the police" Archie said wrapping a strong arm around her small shoulders and pulling her closer into his torso. Zoe shook her head vigorously but the movement made her head throb more.

"If I do that, then they'll come for you, and Sarah, and Kris and all the people I care about, I can't let that happen" Zoe said back fear at the thought of losing them swarming her whole body.

"But if you don't then their gonna kill you, and Zoe I can't lose my big sister, I just couldn't" Archie said back holding back his own tears. He was trying to keep a brave face for her but found it hard.

"It's my mistake, I need to pay for what happened and no one else, if I get this money to them then it'll all be over, done" Zoe said back her eyes meeting Archie's once more.

"I suppose" Archie said still not happy with the idea but deciding to go along with it for now. "Right let's go and get that money from my account and you can get yours out, the sooner we get them what they want the sooner I know that you'll be safe" Archie added and got to his feet swiftly pulling his sister to him tightly. She wrapped her arms around his back and buried her head in his shoulder. He placed a gentle hand on the back of her head and rubbed soothing circles on her hip. "Come on" he said and he pulled away from her but kept a protective arm around her shoulders as they left the park.

* * *

**So will they get the money in time, 9 grand down, one to go, review if you liked guys.**


	6. I Love You But I'm Leaving

"We got nine" Zoe said breathlessly as her and Archie sprinted into the Barnes house. Sarah's head whipped around and she looked on in confusion. Archie was stood behind Zoe a large sports bag in his hand.

"Huh" Sarah said looking between the two and the bag. Zoe took the bag off Archie and strolled forward stopping just in front of Sarah. Unzipping the bag she held it open in front of Sarah. Sarah's jaw fell open as she looked at the contents. There in the bag was hundreds of notes of money. A large smile broke across her face and she slung her arms around Zoe holding her tightly. Zoe hugged her back smiling herself. _Everything is gonna be okay_ she thought trying to reassure herself as much as she could.

Archie coughed and the two quickly pulled away from each other smoothing down their clothes nervously. "So we've got nine grand here, Sarah, have you got the rest of the money" he asked wanting to know if they had a real reason to celebrate. Sarah looked up at him and then at Zoe and smiled again.

"I got one thousand pounds on the table in the other room" she grinned and Archie and Zoe both sprinted forward all of them holding each other tightly. Tears slipped down their faces, tears of joy, and tears to show that everything would be fine. In amongst them though Zoe had her head down a puzzled look on her battered face. _For some reason, this was all to easy to overcome_ she thought to herself.

* * *

Sarah and Zoe were curled up on the settee a film on quietly. Zoe was slowly drifting off when suddenly her phone beeped. Pulling out from her pocket her face paled severely and her breath hitched in her throat.

"Zoe's what's wrong" Sarah said noticing how tense Zoe was now beside her. Looking down at Zoe who was frozen in shock she slowly pried the phone out of her grasp and looked at the text.

_You've got the money, tomorrow we'll meet, we'll text you again with a place._

The text was simple and her face had contorted into one of shock and horror. Her hands began to shake and the phone slipped from her grasp. Wrapping her arms around Zoe tightly she buried her head in the blonde's hair. She knew it was going to happen eventually, just not yet.

"How did they did know" Sarah stuttered out. She was more nervous then Zoe was. Zoe looked up into her eyes and her whole face was void of any emotion.

"They've been watching, I saw Nathan earlier he was just staring at me, watching every move I made on my way back with Archie" Zoe admitted pulling away from Sarah and shuffling away from her over to the opposite side of the settee. Sarah quickly grabbed her hand holding it tightly.

"Why didn't you say" Sarah asked slightly hurt that Zoe hadn't mentioned this earlier.

"I didn't think there was any need to" Zoe simply replied her face never turning only looking straight at the wall in front of her. Her mind was rushing with thousands of thoughts hitting her simultaneously. _What would they do when she got there, would they hurt her friends, would they hurt her_. Zoe was sat there in a trance like state and was only snapped out when Sarah shuffled over and turned her head for their eyes to meet. As soon as they did the familiar warm sparks began to burst between them.

" I'll come with you" Sarah said bravely her hand tightening around Zoe's. Her eyes flicked over Zoe's shoulder to the black sports bag on the floor. _She would stay with Zoe until the very end and that was a promise she would not break._

Zoe shook her head. "No, no I can't let you, I'm not putting you in danger and nowhere near those psycho's" Zoe said back her back stiffening. _There was no way on this earth that she would let Sarah go within 100 metres of the gang._

"Zoe I'm not letting you go on your own, I can't" Sarah pleaded with her, her grip on Zoe's wrist tightening in fear.

"Okay" Zoe resigned putting her hands up in surrender. "We'll go together" she said her eyes still not meeting Sarah's. She could see Sarah nod in the corner of her eye and guilt swarmed her. _What if they hurt Sarah, hurt her instead of me_ Zoe thought realizing the consequences of what she had agreed to. Before she could say anymore Sarah's voice filtered into her ears.

"We're going to do this together okay" she said reassuringly taking Zoe's hand once more. _No matter how many times she did it, it still surprised her how well Zoe's hand fitted in her's. It was like they were created to be merged together, even if they didn't know it in the first place_. They stayed in that silence for who knows how long. Zoe couldn't stop her eyes drifting to the sports bag to her left. So much relied on that money. After a few more minutes Sarah had made herself comfy, leaning into Zoe's side. Zoe instinctively put an arm around her pulling her closer. She couldn't stay mad at her. _She only wanted to protect her._

_I can't believe after tomorrow I might never see her again_ Zoe thought as all the things that could go wrong sprung into her head. _I need her to know how much I care, I need to show her how much she really means to me and no matter what happens, I'll always be there_ she thought and her hands began to tilt Sarah's face towards her. Slowly and gently she pressed soft kisses to Sarah's lips cheeks, jaw and collarbone. Sarah turned her position so she was now leaning on Zoe her hands pressed on each side of Zoe's slim waist. She couldn't help a groan escape her lips as Zoe's electric touch thrilled her. Sarah now began to take control straddling Zoe and pressing firmer kisses on the blonde. Her hands trailed up Zoe's torso and up to her face where she locked her hands on either side of Zoe's head. She flicked her tongue across Zoe's lips asking for entrance and Zoe immediately obliged. Their tongues danced a furious battle as Zoe's hands gripped Sarah's waist tighter pulling her closer. Moving her hands up and down Sarah's back she grabbed the hem of the girls top and pulled it up over her head throwing it on the floor.

The feeling of Zoe's hands on her skin was driving Sarah wild as her hot touch skated across the soft bare flesh. Sarah now began to work at the buttons of Zoe's shirt gently undoing them whilst trying not to hurt the injured girl. Never breaking the kiss Zoe Shrugged her shirt off her shoulders and slowly pushed Sarah up. Jumping to her feet she pulled Zoe with her as she walked backwards towards her room. The two kicked their shoe's off and bumped into several walls on their way but finally they made it to the bedroom. Once in Zoe kicked the door shut and pushed Sarah down onto the bed quickly jumping on top of her straddling her thin waist. She quickly worked Sarah's jeans off and then her own. Sarah caught a glimpse of Zoe's battered torso and gently placed her hands on the stomach trying not to hurt her. _She never wanted to hurt Zoe, even on accident._

Flipping them over Sarah was now above her resting her whole wait on her elbows as not to further hurt the girl. Zoe's soft touch sent shivers down her spine. _She had never felt like this with another man, they had never made her feel so alive as Zoe did, and she never felt as united as the two of them did in that very moment_. Sarah pulled her head back to take a breath and looked down into Zoe's eager yet shocked eyes at losing the heat on her mouth. Sarah rested her head gently on Zoe's.

"Are you sure you want to do this, there's no turning back now" Sarah asked sweetly wanting to make sure Zoe was comfortable with what was going to happen. _This time there would be no freaking out, or arguing, or a big fuss. It would just be them._

"Of course I do Sar" Zoe answered her lips red and swollen with kisses. Sarah nodded and bowed her head back down to Zoe's and kissed her hard on the lips her hands brushing the girls side.

_I love you Zo, I hope you know that_ Sarah thought as she devoured Zoe's mouth with her own once more.

* * *

Zoe and Sarah lay there in the bed a tangle of arms and legs in the sheets. Sarah had her arms around Zoe tightly whilst Zoe rested her head on Sarah's toned stomach. Sarah rubbed soft soothing circles on Zoe's exposed back and planted a few kisses every now and then on it making a smile flitter across her brusied face.

The soft morning sun beamed into the room from the slightly opened curtains filling the room with light and heat.

"Lucky I took those tablets earlier" Zoe laughed tilting her head up to meet Sarah's brown eyes. Sarah chuckled lightly and ruffled the blonde's soft hair.

"Did I hurt you" Sarah asked slightly worried that she may have caused pain to her. Zoe shook her head and giggled.

"You take things to seriously sometimes don't you" she answered rubbing her own circles in Sarah's stomach. Every touch and breath that touched her skin burnt with pleasure. The two fell into a comfortable silence still lost in the bliss of the night before.

"So where's Amy and the kids, I haven't seen them" Zoe asked finally noticing the younger Barnes's absence in the large house.

"She's staying with Ste for a few days, trying to sort things out" Sarah answered simply now losing her hand in Zoe's hair once more. Zoe nodded a small sigh escaping her lips. Sarah noticing this asked her softly. "What's wrong".

"Just everything, I don't know why, but this, it felt to easy, we didn't have to try hard to get the money, I had a week and we got it in two days, I just, I just don't think everything is as straight forward as it seems" Zoe confided her eyes twisted in confusion.

"Zoe, of course it's straight forward, we got lucky, and now once all this is over, we can get on with our lives, get on with us" Sarah spoke back softly trying her best to ease Zoe's worries. Zoe just nodded her head and rested it back on Sarah's stomach.

"I'm hungry, you want something" Sarah said slowly rolling away from Zoe and getting to her feet. She grabbed her dressing gown from the floor and wrapped it around her. Zoe instantly missed the heat and pulled the duvet tighter around her.

"Umm I'll come and have a look in a minute" Zoe said her eyes flashing across Sarah's body. Sarah smiled and skipped out of the room quietly. Zoe sucked in a deep breath and smiled stretching her arms carefully above her head to stop the pain in her ribs getting worse. Just as she was about to get up her phone buzzed quietly. Leaning over she unfilpped it and read it the colour draining from her face.

_Meet at 2 o clock, in the abandoned wool warehouse in South Chester, Come alone and don't bring your mobile, you won't be needing it, any tricks and you're dead along with the rest of your little crew._

Zoe's heart rate increased and she flipped the phone shut closing her eyes tightly. Her eyes stared at the clock on the bedside table. 10:30am. _She had three and half hours_.

Getting to her feet she grabbed another dressing gown and slung it around her bare body and exited the bedroom the phone in the pocket of the robe. Walking up slowly behind Sarah she snake her arms around her waist and inhaled deeply. Sarah's scent was intoxicating and it was the last thing she wanted to have smelt if everything went wrong. Sarah leaned the side of her head against Zoe's which was on her shoulder. The two were stood there just swaying on the spot as Sarah put the butter on her slice of toast. Lifting it up she put it to Zoe's mouth and she greedily took a huge bite out of it.

"Oii" Sarah scolded playfully as the two walked over to the settee. This time Zoe didn't smile back and Sarah noticed that Zoe's face was drained of colour.

"Zoe you alright" she asked looking at the girls pained expression. Zoe nodded slowly.

"Yeah i'm fine, just the pain in my body has come back, do you know where my tablets are" Zoe asked knowing that using her injuries as an excuse was a rubbish one but surprisingly it worked. Sarah pointed to the counters and there on top of the small silver microwave the pills were stood. Zoe got back to her feet and hurried over to them throwing two in her mouth and quickly washing it down with some water.

"Right I'm going to get changed, would you like to join me" Sarah said cheekily getting to her feet. Zoe's mouth fell open and Sarah knew it was an offer she wouldn't be able to refuse and quicker before she could do anything Zoe was heading into the bedroom Sarah hot on her heels.

* * *

Zoe stared at the clock. _One o clock_. The bus to leave into Chester was due in fifteen minutes. Zoe fidgeted nervously avoiding Sarah's gaze. She knew Sarah would be heartbroken when she notices that Zoe and the money gone. _But I'm doing it for her, it's my mess and I'm going to fix it. How am I going to get her out of the house so she doesn't see me leave_ Zoe thought trying to think of a way to escape. Quickly an idea flitted into her mind.,

"Hey Sarah" she asked her voice husky as she looked at her what she now called girlfriend. Sarah turned and smiled. "Yeah" she said cluelessly walking over to Zoe.

"Could you go down to the pharmacy to get me some more pain tablets, and some ice cream" Zoe said putting on her best smile. Sarah blushed. When Zoe used that voice and that smile she could never refuse.

"Of course babe" Sarah said instantly grabbing a hold of her jacket and throwing it on. Digging out her purse she shoved into her pockets roughly.

"Okay well I should be back in say, half an hour" Sarah said and Zoe nodded. That would give her more then enough time to leave. Just as Sarah turned towards the door Zoe jumped up instinctively and ran to her. _She didn't know what she was doing, this will just make it harder, Zoe stop yourself_ she screamed mentally but before she could she ran straight into Sarah. Without hesitation she pressed her lips against Sarah's harder and pushed her up against the door. Her hands got tangled in Sarah's hair and she felt a small tear slip down her cheek.

Pulling away she looked into Sarah's eyes. _She may never see these eyes again, these orbs that mesmerize her every time they look at her's. Never feel the soft skin and the electricity it causes when Sarah touches her. And the feeling she get's in her heart every time Sarah whispers sweet words in her ear._

"Hey what's wrong, what was that for" Sarah said slightly alarmed at Zoe's reaction. A ghost of a smile graced Zoe's face and she whispered quietly.

"Thank you" she said not wanting to close her eyes. She sucked in a deep breath through her nose inhaling Sarah's sweet musky scent. Sarah laughed a placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"If this is what I get every time I leave then I'll go and get you ice cream all the time" Sarah chuckled as she wiped away the tear from Zoe's face. "I won't be long, half hour" Sarah said as she walked towards the door. When she got further away her hand slipped form Zoe's and Zoe could only watch as more tears slipped down her face. The soft thud of the door closing told her that Sarah was gone.

Zoe quickly got herself into gear and lifted up the sports bag. Making sure she had all the money she slung the bag over her shoulder and exited the house but not before sending a quick last glance at the house. Rubbing away the tears she walked out the door.

* * *

Zoe was sat on the bus her head resting against the cool window pane and the sports bag securely on her lap. Thousands of thoughts were running through her head, _of things she was leaving behind, the people she was leaving behind, of Sarah._ Guilt racked her frame as the bus turned another corner. Her eyes skidded past mobs and Steph who was cleaning a few tables, then past the dog in the pond where Rhys and Gilly were sat outside laughing and having a few drinks. Then as the bus stopped at another bus stop she saw Kris and Zak and Elliot and Nancy all walking past. Kris spotted her and smiled and waved at her. A small smile skidded across her face as she waved back at them each one of them just as clueless as Sarah was. And then the bus pulled off and they were out of sight. The thought that that could have been the last time she would see them ate away at her.

The bus trip didn't last long. Looking at her watch it was now half one as she jumped off the bus. Looking around she sighed and headed towards the direction that she knew the factory was.

* * *

"Zoe" Sarah called as she entered the house. When she was met with complete silence she looked around the house and searched high and low for Zoe and when she found no sight of her, her heart began to race. Running about she whipped out her phone and dialed Zoe's number. Putting it to her ear she waited as Zoe's phone began to ring. Suddenly to her left she heard a quiet buzzing noise. Hanging the phone up she ran over to where she heard the sound and once she got over to the settee she found Zoe's small white phone hanging out of the pocket of the dressing gown.

Sarah began to panic even more when she noticed that the sports bag that held all the money in had gone. And then it hit her. And it hit her hard. _Oh no she didn't, please no_ she screamed at herself as she began to pace the floor. With the phone still clasped in her hand she was about to call the police when it began to ring.

"Hello" she said answering the phone. Zoe's soft voice hit her ears.

"Hey" Zoe said trying to hold in the sob that threatened to escape her lips. Sarah's heart skipped a beat. "I'm so sorry Sarah" Zoe apologized down the phone as she stood in a small phone booth.

"How could you, how could you do this Zoe" Sarah yelled angrily down the phone._ Zoe knew she deserved it and she took it wordlessly_. "We were gonna do this together, I wanted to be there to protect you" Sarah said her voice growing softer as the anger slowly drained from her voice.

"I know, I know and I'm so sorry, but Sarah, this is my mess, and I need to sort it out, not you, not Archie, I started it, and they want me to finish it" Zoe replied her voice breaking slowly. Sarah heard the anguish in Zoe's voice and she wanted to run to her, to take her in her arms and tell her everything was okay. But she knew it was impossible.

"But Zoe, I, I can't lose you" Sarah begged down the phone her heart breaking a little with every word.

"I didn't want it to be this way, Sarah for all we know like you said everything will probably go straight forward yeah, just keep thinking about that, for me" Zoe pleaded back hearing the pain in Sarah's soft light voice.

"How can I Zo, when your going to be in a room full of psycho's, just turn back, come home to me" Sarah begged once more knowing her attempts were pointless. _When Zoe was stubborn, she was stubborn. And when it came to protecting Sarah, she was un moveable._

"Sarah you know I can't, I wish I could, but if I turn back now, they won't just kill me, they'll kill you and Archie and everyone I know, and I'm not gonna have that on my conscious, I'd rather die then lose you, Sarah if you call the police they'll definitely kill me, no hesitation, you come looking for me, then again they'll kill me and you, so if I'm not back by 6 o clock tonight, then you can ring the police, only after that point okay" Zoe said her voice braver then before.

Sarah gulped as silent tears slipped down her face. Okay" she said simply her voice barely above a whisper. Zoe knew straight away that Sarah was crying and a lump seemed to form in her throat. "Hey don't cry, please don't cry Sarah, I'll be home before you know it" Zoe said trying her hardest to reassure the younger girl. _But she knew there was no use._

"Zoe I can't lose you, not when only now I've got you" Sarah added still not wanting to have to come to terms with the fact that she might never see Zoe again. That's when she realized why Zoe was the way she had been with her earlier.

"Ditto" Zoe said not knowing really what to say to console the girl, but she did know the words, and she knew it was time to say them. "Sarah i want to tell you" Zoe began but she couldn't form the words. It felt as if invisible hands were strangling her. Taking a long breath she managed to get the words she had been meaning to say for weeks out.

"I love you, please remember that, I love you" she said and was greeted with nothing but silence. Sarah was frozen in shock. _Three little words had knocked the wind out of her. She hadn't seen that one coming. The words made her heart swell and she couldn't help but let a tiny grief stricken smile cross her face. She had always thought she would be the one to say that first_.

"Zoe, I, I love you too" Sarah managed to get the words out. Zoe smiled slightly as she leaned heavily against the inside of the phone box.

"Please don't forget that Sar" Zoe said and looked down at her watch. _1:45pm_. "Look I have to go, time to face the music" Zoe said and her voice began to break again. After hearing Sarah say those words she didn't want to put the phone down. _But those words. Those three little words may just have saved her life. They gave her a reason to fight. To fight to get home and back to her so she can say them to her face and not down the phone._

Sarah didn't know what to say to this. "I love you, please come back to me, please Zo, i need you in my life" Sarah sobbed the tears and sobs racking her body now. _It was a knife through both their hearts as they knew this could be their final conversation._

"I love you" they both said simultaneously their voices merging together and becoming one. "I love you" Sarah said again this time without Zoe speaking.

"I love you too, please remember it, Bye" Zoe managed to get out. She was just about holding herself together.

"Goodbye" Sarah managed to get out before the phone line went dead. Zoe put the phone down and rested her head against the phone the tears streaming down her porcelain face. Wiping them away furiously she picked up the bag and left the phone box heading towards the warehouse.

Sarah sank to her knees cradling the phone in her hands as violent sobs racked her frame. She screamed and yelled and smashed her hands against the floor in a temper. Gripping a cushion she held it tightly to her chest and tried to imagine it was Zoe. And their as if mocking her, right in her line of view was the large clock. And it was ticking.

* * *

Zoe flicked another glance at her watch. _1:54pm_. Looking at the warehouse she spotted two cars already parked in front of it. Bravely she strided forward her grip on the bag tightening. _This was it, this was the time she'd find out this was all over or not._ Taking the last remaining steps she grabbed a hold of the large steel handles and slid the door open.

* * *

**So what will happen, hope you enjoyed guys, the more you review the more you get :D**


	7. Games & Girlfriends

Zoe walked into the warehouse and shivered. The place was cold, and dark and was eerie. Her once quick pace had now basically gone to a slow crawl. Taking little steps she edged herself into the giant place. Looking across the room she could vaguely make out 3 shadows all leaning back against something. Taking shaky breath she headed towards them.

"So Miss Carpenter, you came" said an unfamiliar voice as she stopped a few feet from them. Zoe gulped and nodded.

"Here's the money" she said pulling the bag off of her shoulder and slinging it across to them. The big burly man who had spoken caught it easily and flicked on a nearby light. Zoe blinked as the harsh light burnt her eyes. Finally she could get a good look at the three men. The first man who now had the money in his hand was well built with cropped brown hair. He was tall and his arms and shoulders were huge. Zoe's eyes then flicked to the man behind him, and it was no surprise that there stood Nathan a cruel smile on his lips. His arms were crossed tightly across his chest. And then the third man, who was bigger then the other two stood towering over her his wide frame intimidating Zoe.

"Very good, I have to say you got it very quick, you definitely value your life' the man laughed as he dropped the bag onto the table and unzipped it. Zoe didn't know what to say. Her throat was dry and a small layer of sweat laced her brow.

"Look you've got your money, please can I go now" Zoe managed to stutter out as she slowly began to back away. All of their heads whipped up and the first man shook his head.

"I don't think so, I need to count all this, and until that's done, then your staying put" he answered advancing on her. Her pace quickened and as her fear took over she turned to run when she slammed straight into a large man. She bounced back off of him and before she could even shout a big fist collided with her face and she flew backwards. Just before she hit the floor she felt someone take a fistful of hair and yank her back up. Suddenly a piercing pain ripped through her arm as the big man roughly twisted it behind her back still one hand tangled in her blonde hair.

'Ahh" she whimpered in pain as the man pushed her forward into a chair.

"Sit" the man said and Zoe did so. She clutched her right arm tightly as it began to ache. _She hadn't heard any snapping noises but it felt as if they had broken it._

The man strolled back to the table and tipped the bag upside down watching as the money spilt from it. Nathan who was still stood in the back walked forward and stopped abruptly in front of her. Kneeling down he looked up into her eyes. Zoe could tell straight away that he had done something, some sort of narcotic and the look in them frightened her.

"I see I did quite a good job of you" Nathan said admiring his work as he grabbed her chin hard and tilted her head to study the cuts and bruises. Zoe pulled her head away from him quickly and for doing this she earned a hard punch across the face. She felt the blood beginning to seep from her lip as the wound reopened.

"Feisty" he chortled gripping her jaw hard once more. His fingers pressed hard on the bruises and she winced in pain. The anger began to slowly rise in her stomach. "I'm gonna warn you now, you try any more games, and you'll be going back to Sarah to find her dead" he threatened cruelly.

Zoe's eyes widened in horror. "What the hell do you mean" she spat her anger bubbling even more then before. _Have they got Sarah, is she okay?,_ all these thoughts were splitting through her mind.

"What I mean Zoe, is that right now there are two men, waiting in a car outside Sarah's house, and with a quick call they will be in and out in no time, so don't try anything" he warned again his voice turning it a deep growl. Zoe's heart thudded loudly and she could swear that Nathan could hear it. Slowly he put his hands on her thighs and began to pat down her legs. Finding nothing he ripped the leather jacket she had on off of her and searched the pockets. Pulling out a few pieces of paper he tossed the jacket to one side.

"She's clean" he spoke and the other three nodded.

"Which is more than I can say for you" Zoe muttered under her breath, but unfortunately for her Nathan heard her and before she could react again she was flying out of her chair and head first into the tin wall of the warehouse. She gripped her head painfully as she tried to get to her feet but fists and feet were hammering into her whole body.

"I said watch it" he snarled angrily as the two men finally stopped kicking her. The breath was knocked completely out of Zoe and she was seeing stars in front of her. She didn't know how long she had been lying there but the main guys counting had gone from one grand to five grand so it must have been a while.

"Five grand, five thousabd one hudred" the main man counted as he put each stack of money back into the large bag. He didn't seem to notice the brutal assault on the young girl. Zoe tried to sake the dizziness from her head but found it useless. Finally she managed to struggle to her feet and she gripped a hold of the wall for dear life. Sucking a long breath she leaned heavily against the wall. As she looked around though, her heart stopped. She could feel something cold pressed against her temple and a loud click. Nathan held the gun firmly pressing hard against Zoe's skull. Using it he pushed her back down to the floor so she was on her knees and slowly she put her hands on her head. Her heart was thumping louder then ever.

"Six grand" he was still counting aloud as he flung the money into the bag. Zoe looked down at her watch and noticed that time had flown by and it was now 2:34pm. She could feel fresh blood on her face and her body was screaming in agony but she tried to block it out. _She thought of Sarah, safe and unharmed. She thought of the night before with Sarah's warm arms engulfing her and holding her close. Shielding her from anything. The thought of Sarah smiling and laughing was comforting._

"Eight grand" he said again as he counted his money. Zoe couldn't wait for him to reach ten grand so she could go. _So she could go home. Go to Sarah and tell her everything is over and it's going to be okay. That they can look forward to their future, to plan things out._

_But for some reason that thought that had been bugging her for the last day. It was to straight forward, everything was to easy to do. And it shouldn't have been._

"Ten grand, well Zoe it seems you've paid back most of your debt" he mocked as he slinked forward. Zoe didn't dare look at him. The gun that was at her head released pressure and a small gasp of relief slipped from her lips. But then the words he had spoken clicked.

"What do you mean almost" she said her voice filled with confusion as she looked into his brown eyes.

"You have caused us a lot of trouble, you know just a little too much" he whispered his voice scary and low. Zoe recoiled in shock.

"What are you gonna do to me" Zoe asked her voice sounding scared almost child like as a small shiver went down her spine. He let out a loud laugh in her face and gripped her roughly by the collar pulling her off the ground slightly. The gun was pressed hard against her head once more.

"I hope you like games Zoe, Cause this is gonna be one you'll never forget, I don't know what i'll do, I'll think of something, I'll warn you though, it'll happen this week, sometime, I don't know when, I don't know where, but once it is done, you won't hear from us again" he said his face now inches from her's. She gulped and nodded her head not knowing what to do.

"Go" he said moving away from her and walking over to the bag. The gun uncocked and Nathan also walked away leaving her alone on the floor. She didn't say anything, she simply picked up her jacket and hobbled painfully out of the warehouse. Silent tears of relief slipped down her face as she left the warehouse but she didn't feel at ease. To tell the truth she felt even worse than before.

Sarah was sat curled up in the same position as earlier. The clock was still ticking. Zoe had now been gone for one hour and forty five minutes. _Please don't let anything happen to her. Please it can't, I can't lose her just yet, my life isn't worth anything with out her_ she thought as her gaze stuck to the clock. The slow moving hand seemed to be mocking her.

Suddenly the sound of the door opening filled her ears and she whipped around to look who was there. Her heart pounded at the sight that filled her eyes. There in the doorway stood a very weary, and bloodied Zoe.

Sarah didn't have any words to say. She simply threw herself at Zoe her arms clutching any bit of the girl she could. She squeezed and kissed and cried as the held the woman she loved tightly.

"It's gonna be okay now Sar, I'm home, it's over" Zoe said into Sarah's ear. She was glad Sarah couldn't see her eyes, as she knew she would know that she was lying. Sarah sobbed into Zoe's shoulder and vice versa. _Zoe was home, and she had her, had her in her arms, holding her, kissing her, and that made Sarah one of the happiest people alive. But she didn't have a clue about what was to come._

* * *

"We better tell Archie" Sarah said as she sat on the floor curled into Zoe's side. They had been sat there for who knows how long. Zoe's face was now clean, the blood gone from her skin but angry bruises skated across it. She held Sarah tightly not wanting to let her go. _She thought that the nightmare was over. That once she got the money to them they would leave her and Sarah alone, leave them to live their lives_.

_They can hurt me, as long as they don't hurt Sarah_ Zoe thought the same thing going through her head all the time. _They could do whatever they wanted to, to her but not to Sarah._

"I'm text him later" Zoe answered her mind still reeling from the hidden danger that she would be facing this week.

"How are you feeling" Sarah asked her face still buried in Zoe's chest. Zoe ran her hand through Sarah's hair and sighed.

"Better, now that you're here, much better" Zoe answered as she stroked Sarah's brown hair slowly. The feeling of Zoe's hand in her hair was soothing and Sarah's tense body relaxed. _The only reason she was tense was because she was expecting someone to burst in at any moment and take Zoe, her Zoe away from her._

"Me too" she said a grin on her face. Turning she looked up into Zoe's face and noticed the girls tired expression. Her eyes were drooped slightly and her head hung limply onto her shoulder.

"Hey you, you look like you could do with some sleep, come on" Sarah said as she went to get up but Zoe quickly pulled her back to her holding her tighter then before._ She didn't want to leave her go, even for a second._

"I was so scared" Zoe began her mouth next to Sarah's ear as she cradled her firmly. "I was scared that I wouldn't see you again, that I wouldn't be able to hold you like this, I thought that they were gonna kill me, that they weren't going to stop kicking and punching me, and when they pulled the gun and put it to my head, the only thing I could think of was you" Zoe admitted as she clung to Sarah tightly. Sarah's face paled. _They pulled a gun on Zoe._

"You're here now, they're not going to kill you, it's done, it's over with, and now we can carry on with our lives" Sarah reassured as she pushed herself into Zoe harder. _The girls confession had really hit a nerve and it made her realize how close she had come to losing her._

Zoe jut nodded her head. The guilt of her lie was eating away at her. But she was doing it for Sarah. She didn't want to see her upset, or worried, and she knew the less she knew the better. All she wanted was for Sarah to be left alone, and she would do anything to make sure that would happen.

* * *

**So everything isn't as straight forward. Only a few chapters left now guys, review if you enjoyed this chapter, remember the more reviews the quicker the updates my lovely followers .**


	8. Hold Up A Light For Me

**6 Days Later . . . .**

Zoe was sat on the bed her head in her hands. _Six days and still no word_. No sight and no sound from them. She had seen the way Sarah had been looking at her. She could tell that there was something wrong but thankfully she held her tongue. Any little sound Zoe heard behind her when she was out would scare her and she was jumping at shadows, sometimes even her own.

A shudder went down her spine as she thought of the ticking down clock. Either today or tomorrow something bad would happen. To her and maybe even to Sarah. And she prayed that it wasn't the latter. She didn't want them to harm Sarah, she'd rather them kill her just not for them to lay a hand on Sarah.

Sucking in a breath she got to her feet and walked out of the bedroom. She could see Sarah sat in the settee idly flicking through the channels on the TV. Walking behind Sarah she knelt down and placed a soft kiss to her cheek crushing her hand across her shoulder as she headed for the coffee maker.

"Morning you" Sarah chirped happily from the sofa as she looked over her shoulder at the blonde who was grabbing two mugs.

"Good morning, coffee" Zoe asked holding up the two mugs to Sarah. Sarah nodded her head and Zoe turned back around and boiled the kettle. Sarah's gaze never left Zoe as she studied her extraordinary body._ What did I do to deserve someone as amazing as her_ she thought to herself a small smile came to her lips.

Once Zoe had done the coffee she walked over to the sofa and sat down next to Sarah handing her the mug and then taking a long gulp of her's.

"You okay, you look a bit ill" Sarah said her voice filled with care. She extended her hand and brushed a small strand of hair behind Zoe's ear her hand lingering on the girls pale cheek.

Zoe nodded her head putting down her mug on the coffee table, "Yeah I'm fine just feeling a bit rough, nothing a cuppa can't cure" Zoe said forcing a false smile onto her face. _She tried to just concentrate on Sarah, on her face, her body, her personality but it was impossible to get rid of that ever nagging question._ Her eyes automatically flicked to the clock but she ripped her gaze away from it and stared deep in Sarah's eyes trying to get lost in the large brown orbs.

"So what do you want to do today" Sarah asked as she laid down stretching her legs out and resting her head in Zoe's lap. Zoe instantly began to run her hand through Sarah's silky brown hair. Zoe pondered for a moment but she had no idea what to do exactly. Ever since the whole ordeal Zoe hadn't left Sarah's side and she was constantly phoning Archie making sure they hadn't hurt him. She had practically moved in now and Amy wasn't impressed what so ever.

_"Get her out of the house now" Amy practically screamed at Sarah as she glared at Zoe who was stood not far behind her. Sarah shook her head side to side swiftly._

_"No Amy, she's staying whether you like it or not" Sarah yelled furious at her sister's attitude, she knew it was difficult for her but she knew that Amy was in the wrong not Zoe._

_"Why she already lives somewhere" Amy shouted back her hands failing everywhere. Amy took a step forward but Sarah still stood protectively in front of Zoe as to make sure Amy would not launch herself at the blonde which seemed to be very likely._

_"She's having a hard time, and I'm not going to throw my friend's out when they need me the most yeah" Sarah yelled again her voice louder then Amy's. Sarah's face flushed red in anger._

_"Look if it's causing so much trouble for you two I'll leave" Zoe said as she went to take a step towards the front door. Sarah whipped about and out a firm hand on Zoe's shoulder._

_"No don't let her push you out, you're not the one causing trouble, she is" Sarah yelled spinning back around to stare at her equally as furious sister._

_"Me, Sarah she wrecked our family, she ripped dad apart and now all of a sudden you're sticking by her over your sister" Amy spat harshly and Zoe winced at the cruel tone in her voice. That was a low blow._

_"That's over with, it's done and there is nothing we can do now, so either you grow up and live with it or you can get out" Sarah yelled angrily. She hadn't wanted to kick Amy out but she knew if she didn't then she would end up hitting her sister and she did not want to do that._

_"Kicking your own sister out over your friend, and there was me thinking that blood was thicker than water" Amy said sarcastically her hand clenched tightly in frustration._

_"Get out" Sarah yelled furiously and took an aggressive step forward. Amy just growled and muttered something incoherent before storming out of the house and slamming the large glass door behind her._

_Zoe walked forward and wrapped her arms around Sarah softly. "I'm sorry you had to do that Sar, it's my fault" Zoe whispered in Sarah's ear as she held her that little bit tighter. Sarah spun in the embrace so she was now facing Zoe._

_"It wasn't your fault, this has been brewing for a while, you've done nothing wrong yeah" Sarah said placing a gentle kiss to Zoe's swollen lips._

"I really don't know, we can go for a few drinks in the Subar, go into town, I don't mind honestly" Zoe answered back looking down at the brunette in her arms.

"Well there is a party tonight in the Subar, shall we go, you know show our faces" Sarah offered and Zoe nodded with a smile.

"Yeah sure though there will probably be some questions raised about my face" she said indicating to the fading bruises on her face.

"With a bit of make up you won't be able to see a thing, and it's gonna be dark, and plus I'll just say that someone tried to knick my bag and you gave them what for" Sarah laughed from Zoe's lap as she entwined their hands tightly.

"Whatever makes you happy" Zoe said smiling and she bent down and placed a soft kiss to Sarah's full lips. The sat there in silence for a while each watching the TV when quietly Sarah began to speak.

"Zo" she said quietly getting the blonde's attention. Zoe turned her head and looked at Sarah her head cocked slightly to the side.

"Yeah" she answered wondering what the anxious expression was on Sarah's face.

"You know at that party tonight, well I was thinking, well I was thinking that maybe we could, that we could tell people, that we're together" Sarah said her voice laced with nervousness. Noticing Zoe's shocked expression she quickly added, "But only if you want to, if not we can wait, we can wait for as long as you want" Sarah said as she tried to work out Zoe's expression.

After a while Zoe found her voice. She looked at Sarah and a small smile tugged at her lips. "Okay let's do it" she said smiling. _She had been wanting to scream from the rooftops that she was with Sarah but she didn't know if the younger brunette would want that level of commitment to her. But now she had got what she wanted and it made Sarah happy to._

"Seriously, I mean are you ready for this, it's gonna be hard" Sarah said hoping to ease any worries that Zoe had but by the tone in her voice she could tell that there were none.

"I know, and I've been ready for ages I just didn't know that you were, but now I do I wouldn't want to do anything else" she grinned her hand getting lost in Sarah's hair.

Sarah's face lit up and she took Zoe's face in her hands and pulled her face down to her's placing a hard kiss on her lips.

* * *

"Ah I don't know what to wear" Zoe grumbled as she threw about some clothes trying to find something decent to wear. The only decent dress she had was the sparkly silver dress but unfortunately that had to be binned when they'd worked out that there was no way the rip in it could be fixed.

"Well you know I rather you without clothes" Sarah said cheekily as she too searched through the wardrobe trying to find something. Zoe just laughed.

"I know but I don't think that would go down well walking into the Subar with nothing on at all" Zoe answered nodding her head as she rummaged through more clothes.

"I wouldn't mind" Sarah added again. _She loved the banter that they had_. Zoe just snorted and turned to look at Sarah.

"Yeah and neither would most of the men in that place, now you wouldn't like that" Zoe said back the grin still plastered to her face. Sarah's eyes narrowed in mock hurt.

"Okay let's find you something" Sarah said as she moved across the room to look through the pile of clothes in front of Zoe. Zoe's eyes and mouth opened wide.

"Ooh do I sense a bit of jealousy from the lovely Miss Barnes" Zoe said teasing Sarah as she flung more clothes over her shoulder. Sarah just laughed and continued with her work silently.

"I have found you the perfect combination" Sarah said as she held up a pair of dark skinny jeans and a sequined silver top. Zoe smiled at the girls enthusiasm and took them off her.

"Okay this look's good, heels, what heels will I wear" Zoe said as she bent down and looked under the bed. After moving a few things out of the way she came across the perfect pair. "Aha" she said happily as she got back to her feet and held up the high silver stilettos.

"Right we've found your outfit, now you are gonna help me find mine" Sarah said putting the heels down to one side and throwing come of the clothes at Zoe. Zoe picked them up and launched them back at Sarah and they hit her square in the face. Sarah ran forward with an arm full of clothes readying herself to throw them at the blonde but she didn't see the pair of knee high boots in front of her and she caught her foot on them sending her spiraling through the air and into Zoe. The two of them fell backward with Zoe lying on her back and Sarah on top of her.

Zoe was laughing her head off at Sarah's expression. She tried to suck in as much air as she could but found it impossible between the hysterics. Sarah was still laying on top of her and a small chuckle escaped her lips as well. Once Zoe had calmed herself down she gazed into Sarah's eyes.

"You are one of the clumsiest people I know, but that is one of the reason why I love you" Zoe laughed as she pushed Sarah's hair back out of her face.

"And you are one of the sweetest, nicest people I know, that is why I love you" Sarah answered back. No matter how many times she said those three words they always filled her with butterflies and made her face light up. She bowed her head and kissed Zoe passionately. Things were slowly getting more and more heated and Zoe rolled over so Sarah was now beneath her. Slowly though Zoe pulled her head back breathlessly and rested her forehead against Sarah's.

"As much as I would love to continue this, we have a party to go to and a very big announcement to make babe" Zoe said as she pushed herself off Sarah and to her feet. Extending her hand out she pulled Sarah up to her feet as well.

"Stupid party" Sarah muttered as she headed over to the mirror to put her make up. Behind her she could hear Zoe chuckling loudly.

* * *

"I'm nervous" Sarah said as she hesitated by the front door. Turning to look at Zoe she gripped a hold of her hands. Zoe squeezed reassuringly. "If you don't want to do this tonight, if you don't feel ready then we don't have to do anything yeah" Zoe cooed trying to rid Sarah's fears.

"I want to do it, I really do I just, I don't know how, what are we just going to go up to the other's and say hey guys we are now going out with each other and if you don't like it then you can stuff it" Sarah said trying to think of ways to tell the other's.

Zoe laughed, "No, we just go like this" Zoe said and kissed Sarah softly pulling the thin blonde closer to her. Sarah laughed inwardly _the most obvious thing_, _the thing I think about doing every minute of the day and I completely blank out_ she thought to herself as she wrapped her arms around Zoe's shoulder.

Sarah pulled back and laughed, "Okay I missed that one but it's effective" she giggled and she turned and grabbed the door wrenching it open and stepping out Zoe just behind her. Once they locked the door they made their way down the steps and onto the pavement.

"Oii, you two hurry up" came Kris's loud voice from the other side of the road. He was stood alongside Ravi, Nancy, Archie, Zak and Hannah. They all turned and walked around the corner. Suddenly Zoe's phone beeped and she pulled the phone from her pocket flipping it open. Looking at the text her face paled. Sarah hadn't seen Zoe's phone go and kept walking.

_Time's up._

Suddenly headlights flashed and tires squealed from around the corner. Zoe looked up and saw Sarah in the middle of the road and dropped her bag and phone and launched herself forward towards her. Just as she set off she saw the headlights directly ahead of her.

"Sarah look out" she screamed and she pushed Sarah out of the way. But there wasn't enough time for her and as she was about to jump out of the way of the on coming car it smashed into her.

Sarah hit the ground and heard the sickening sound of metal on bone and quickly turned to see Zoe slide across the top of the car.

"NO" she screamed as she jumped to her feet and ran to Zoe who lay motionless in the middle of the road. The car skidded away around the corner. Running forward she slid to her knees next to Zoe and turned her over onto her back.

"Zoe, Zoe please come on baby open your eyes" Sarah yelled as she tapped at Zoe's blood stained cheeks. "Somebody help me" She screamed into the air hoping for someone to find them. Kris and the other's heard Sarah's gut wrenching scream and spun back towards where they last saw her.

"Zoe come on open your eyes sweety, please I can't lose you" Sarah cried as tears leaked down her face and landed on Zoe's. Zoe's eyes opened weakly and tears instantly slipped out of them.

"Sa-rah" she choked out painfully her eyes losing focus. Pain swam through her entire body and her vision began to go fuzzy.

"It's me babe, come on hold on, just keep your eyes open" Sarah said as she rocked back and forth with Zoe. Her legs and arms were just sprawled out un moving.

"Why did you do that" Sarah said between sobs as she looked at Zoe's face. She noticed that blood began to seep out of Zoe's mouth.

"Because I love you" Zoe managed to choke out as her head lolled to the side. Sarah pulled it back around to face her. Sarah didn't know what to say to that, _she would have done the same._

Sarah heard heavy footsteps behind her and turned to look. There stood the whole gang each with their eyes wide open and their hands over their mouths in shock. "Call an ambulance" she yelled at them and she could hear the beeping sound of a phone as you dialed a number.

Turning back to Zoe she run a hand though Zoe's hair when she felt hot liquid on her fingers. Pulling her hand back she could see the blood on her hands.

"Come on Zoe help will be here soon, just hold on for me baby, please" she whimpered as more tears slipped down her face.

"I love you, Sarah, I love you" Zoe choked out gazing into Sarah eyes. Sarah nodded her head and croaked. "I love you too".

A small smile came to Zoe's lips as she heard those words and the pain left her body. Taking one last glance at Sarah her body went limp and her eyes slowly fluttered shut.

"No Zoe, No come on open your eyes" Sarah practically yelled at Zoe as she shook her small frame. "No" she cried as sobs racked her body. She bent over Zoe and placed a soft kiss to her lips hoping that somehow it would bring Zoe back to her. "I need you" she whispered as she watched her tears mingle with Zoe's. She got no response.

In the backround she could hear loud sirens and loud sobs coming from the gang, none of them dared to move and ruin the moment. But her eyes never left the still girl in her arms. "I love you" she said as she hugged her body to her tighter. "I love you Zoe" she said once more as the blue and red lights flashed across her face. "I love you, please, please don't leave me" she whispered again as she cradled the blonde to her. At that moment her world shattered into pieces.

* * *

**So that was sad, but the question is will she survive or will she die, I'm still pondering which to right, review if you enjoyed guys and sorry took so long to update but hope it was worth it guys, you'll just have to wait and see what happens.**


	9. Memories & Meetings

**Three Weeks Later . . . .**

Sarah strolled through the village slowly. She kept her head down as she headed back to her house two bags in her hand from where she had picked up a few things from Drive 'N buy. Suddenly she stopped and her gaze flicked to the centre of the road and a violent shudder went down her spine as she looked at where _'it'_ happened.

_She wanted nothing more than forget that night. Nothing more than the pain she felt when she saw Zoe go over that car and hit the floor. The sound it made when the car hit her still rung in her ears and she winced everytime she heard it._

Walking up the steps to her house she quickly opened the door and went in. Dropping the bags down she tripped slightly on one of Leah's toys. Kicking it out of the way she walked into the kitchen she turned around and called out.

"Where are you" she called and she walked into the living room and looked around. She heard someone coming down the hallway and turned around to see Zoe slowly making her way down the hallway in her wheelchair.

"Bloody thing, I still can't get used to this" she groaned as drove straight into the side of the settee. Sarah laughed quietly. _After everything that had happened Zoe still managed to laugh and joke about it and keep that beautiful smile on her beautiful face._

"Come here let me help" Sarah said as she hurried over to her girlfriends side and wheeled her away from the sofa and into the centre of the room.

"I hate it, I'll get used to it, let's see what's on TV" Zoe said and reached over to grab the remotes when pain ripped down her side. She bit her lip to hold in the cry of pain she so badly wanted to release but even though she did that Sarah still noticed and hurried around kneeling in front of her concern filling her eyes.

"Are you okay" she said as she looked Zoe up and down to see where the pain was coming from.

"Yeah, I'll be fine babe" she said breathing heavily as she tried to get herself together again.

"Are you sure" Sarah added again just making sure. _She hated seeing Zoe in pain, it stung her every time she did._

"Sarah I'll be fine, okay, it's just something I have to get used to for now, I'm sorry this has to be hard for you too, looking after a cripple" Zoe said trying to laugh it off but that hurt her ribs even more.

"I'd rather it be me looking after you than anyone else" Sarah smiled placing a warm kiss on Zoe's lips.

"Thank you, oh well only another month of this chair and then I'll be free to walk again" she smiled happily thinking ahead to that moment. Sarah's smile faltered slightly. _She wished she could be as enthusiastic as Zoe was_. Zoe noticed the slight drop in Sarah's face and grabbed her hands squeezing them lightly.

"Sarah, I am going to walk again, I know there is a chance that I might never, but that's only a maybe, the doctor even said that the rate I'm going that I will be walking, I promise you Sarah I will walk again, they are not gonna win by permanently taking my legs, I will not let them, I'll walk again I just know it, and I'll do it for you" Zoe answered back the smile still on her face. _She knew how worried Sarah was for the future but deep down she knew that she would walk. If there was anything that Zoe Carpenter was, it was a fighter._

"Okay, I should have more faith in you shouldn't I" Sarah said as she dropped her head slightly. Zoe extended her hand and tilted Sarah's face so she was looking at her.

"Yes you should, but I don't blame you for being scared, I'm just as scared as well, but its easier to think positive then negative yeah" Zoe cooed and Sarah's head nodded in Zoe's hand.

"Look at me I'm a mess, you're the one with broken ribs, broken legs and cracked skull and yet your the one who's doing the comforting" Sarah said as she rested her head gently on the side of Zoe's chair. Zoe laughed lightly and ran a hand through Sarah's brown locks and sighed.

"I've got nothing better to do these days" she said back as the two fell into a comfortable silence. Sarah pulled her head up and looked at Zoe.

"I'm glad it's over now, they've been caught and they've been charged and they can't hurt you ever again" Sarah sighed as she rubbed her hand along Zoe's slender thigh gently.

"I'm glad too" she answered her hand getting lost in Sarah's hair.

* * *

"Are you sure you're aloud to drink with the tablets your on because I'm sure the doctor said that you weren't" Sarah enquired as she pushed Zoe through the small village. Zoe just looked up and giggled slightly.

"One or two can't hurt can they, come on I haven't been out of the house in weeks and it's nice to have some fresh air and a few drinks with your friends" Zoe said cheekily knowing that when she put that voice on she could get anything she wanted to.

"Okay okay you win, so where are we meeting them, Subar or the dog" Sarah asked wanting to know which way she should go next.

"Kris and the other's are waiting for us in the Subar" Zoe chirped and Sarah went in the direction of their favorite bar.

"Here she is, finally we've pried her away from her home" Kris laughed as he ran up to where Zoe and Sarah were stood entering the door. Kneeling down he gave Zoe a big but gentle hug and placed a kiss on her head. "How you doing today babe" he asked as he walked over to the other's alongside Sarah and Zoe.

"Better, my body is constantly screaming in pain but I'll get used to it I suppose" Zoe grinned back and her smile instantly widened as she spotted the rest of her friends.

"Zoe you're here" Nancy cried jumping from her seat and over to Zoe and did the same as Kris, placing a kiss on her cheek and hugging her carefully._ Even though she had seen her everyday, when she was in hospital and when she had come out it still made her happy to see her friend alive and finally out and about. Nancy knew it was a big step and she was so proud of Zoe's strength to carry on with life the way she was doing._

"You know me can't resist a few drinks with you lot" Zoe laughed back as Sarah pulled up to the table and stuck the brakes on the wheelchair and grabbed the chair next to Zoe and sat on it slowly. The other' s laughed.

"Here we are Zo, on us" Archie and Zak said simultaneously as he put a pint of her favorite beer in front of her. Zoe smiled and picked the pint up to her lips. Taking a long gulp of it she out it back down.

"That's good, oh how I've missed you" she laughed as she cradled the pint in her hands. The other's chuckled loudly at her. _She was amazing. She was filled with so much hope, so much bravery and no matter what she did not let anything get to her. And they were all proud to call Zoe Carpenter one of their best mates. And they just knew if Zoe said she would walk again then she would._

* * *

Sarah was lay in bed Zoe tucked into her side tightly. She had one arm over her waist and the other down by her side. Her eyes lingered on Zoe's face taking in her girlfriend's beauty. _What did I do to deserve you, you're way out of my league, you're gorgeous, you're brave and you risked your life to save mine, you're the most amazing person I've ever met and I swear to you I'm never ever gonna leave you_ Sarah thought as she ran her hand lightly though Zoe's blonde hair.

Her eyes jumped from Zoe to the wheelchair next to the bed and she shuddered. Every night once Zoe's pain killer's had knocked her out cold she would just lie there and the whole incident plagued her mind, she tried to think of something else but everything she did it led back to that night. It repeated and repeated and repeated like a busted film clip behind her eye lids.

_"Sarah look out" she screamed and she pushed Sarah out of the way. But there wasn't enough time for her and as she was about to jump out of the way of the on coming car it smashed into her._

_Sarah hit the ground and heard the sickening sound of metal on bone and quickly turned to see Zoe slide across the top of the car._

_"NO" she screamed as she jumped to her feet and ran to Zoe who lay motionless in the middle of the road. The car skidded away around the corner. Running forward she slid to her knees next to Zoe and turned her over onto her back._

_"Zoe, Zoe please come on baby open your eyes" Sarah yelled as she tapped at Zoe's blood stained cheeks. "Somebody help me" She screamed into the air hoping for someone to find them. Kris and the other's heard Sarah's gut wrenching scream and spun back towards where they last saw her._

_"Zoe come on open your eyes sweety, please I can't lose you" Sarah cried as tears leaked down her face and landed on Zoe's. Zoe's eyes opened weakly and tears instantly slipped out of them._

_"Sa-rah" she choked out painfully her eyes losing focus. Pain swam through her entire body and her vision began to go fuzzy._

_"It's me babe, come on hold on, just keep your eyes open" Sarah said as she rocked back and forth with Zoe. Her legs and arms were just sprawled out un moving._

_"Why did you do that" Sarah said between sobs as she looked at Zoe's face. She noticed that blood began to seep out of Zoe's mouth._

_"Because I love you" Zoe managed to choke out as her head lolled to the side. Sarah pulled it back around to face her. Sarah didn't know what to say to that, she would have done the same._

_Sarah heard heavy footsteps behind her and turned to look. There stood the whole gang each with their eyes wide open and their hands over their mouths in shock. "Call an ambulance" she yelled at them and she could hear the beeping sound of a phone as you dialed a number._

_Turning back to Zoe she run a hand though Zoe's hair when she felt hot liquid on her fingers. Pulling her hand back she could see the blood on her hands._

_"Come on Zoe help will be here soon, just hold on for me baby, please" she whimpered as more tears slipped down her face._

_"I love you, Sarah, I love you" Zoe choked out gazing into Sarah eyes. Sarah nodded her head and croaked. "I love you too"._

_A small smile came to Zoe's lips as she heard those words and the pain left her body. Taking one last glance at Sarah her body went limp and her eyes slowly fluttered shut._

_"No Zoe, No come on open your eyes" Sarah practically yelled at Zoe as she shook her small frame. "No" she cried as sobs racked her body. She bent over Zoe and placed a soft kiss to her lips hoping that somehow it would bring Zoe back to her. "I need you" she whispered as she watched her tears mingle with Zoe's. She got no response._

Sarah shook the thing from her head trying to think of something else. Her eyes fell onto Zoe once more and a small smile came to her lips. _I've never felt more secure and more safe with anyone than I do with you Zo, no one has ever done what you did for me, the world would have lost one of the best things that could have happened to it and it would have been my fault_ Sarah thought as she let her eyes wander up to the ceiling.

"What's up" Zoe's voice mumbled as she broke through the silence in the room. She shifted her upper body slowly as not to upset her ribs. Sarah instantly looked down at the older girl in her arms and smiled.

"Nothing babe, nothing at all" Sarah reassured as she continued to run her hand through Zoe's hair. Zoe just narrowed her eyes.

"Then why are you still awake and look slightly depressed" Zoe asked as the strong painkillers began to take over her body once more. She struggled to keep her eyes open.

"I'm not depressed, I'm happy, I'm happy because I've got the woman I love more then anything I ever have in my arms, my own personal hero and the bravest person I've ever met alive and well cwtched up into me here" Sarah grinned as she let her head drift closer to Zoe's.

"And I'm happy because I'm with you, here and now" Zoe answered as she rested her head in the crook of Sarah's neck. Her breathing was beginning to even out slightly and she could feel herself drifting off to sleep but she forced her eyes to stay open for a little while longer.

"You saved my life Zo, and for that I'm telling you I will always love you" she mumbled as she pressed her lips to Zoe's head.

"And you saved mine, you pulled me back, you were the last string that kept me fighting to get back and I love you for that too" Zoe mumbled as she listened to the slow beating of Sarah's heart. _The consistent rhythm was beginning to lull her to sleep_. "I can promise you this I will never leave you Sar, never so you never have to worry about losing me again yeah" Zoe promised as she whispered into Sarah's ear.

"Ditto" she grinned back and tilted Zoe's head and their lips met in a soft and gentle but passion filled kiss.

"I love you" they both said at the same time. Both sent wide grins at each other and Zoe put her head down succumbing to the effect the drugs had in sucking her into unconsciousness.

"I will always love you" Sarah whispered as she shut her eyes and she too fell into an undisturbed sleep.

* * *

**Aww so she lives YAY . . so what will happen in the next coming chapters, will Zoe get her ability to walk back, review if you liked guys.**


	10. Dreams & Dayouts

"Archie you know what you are a serious pain in the neck" Zoe grumbled as Archie wheeled her around in circles.

"Ahh you love it" he said coming to a stop, he was trying to make Zoe laugh by getting her dizzy but instead he had just made himself dizzy and feeling sick.

"So have you heard from Mum and Dad I've seen them what once and only had two phone calls off them" Zoe grumbled unhappy at her parents lack of interest. Ever since her mother had discovered that she was in a relationship with Sarah she had been avoiding her.

"Nope nothing really, you know what they're like" Archie answered as he moved her over to one of the benches and he sat down on it.

"Oh well I've got the people I need right" Zoe answered shrugging her shoulders. Archie just smiled back at her. _When he had heard Sarah's cry, and had seen his sister lying there dying in her arms his whole body just shut down, he couldn't think. He couldn't speak, he felt nauseous at what he was seeing. His sister's blood spattered all over the floor._

"Yeah you got us all, and we are going to make sure you will walk again" Archie grinned happily his belief in his sister igniting once more. _When Zoe Carpenter put her mind to something, then it would take hell of a lot to knock her off course._

"I know, I'm just worried about Sarah she doesn't think I will, and she's scared Arch, really scared, if I don't walk again then what use am I, she's to young to have to look after me for the rest of her life" Zoe said her voice breaking slightly at the thought that Sarah would be her full time carer.

"Hey you listen to me" Archie said gripping his sister's face and turning it towards him. "She will do anything for you, just like you would for her, don't think that because you might not be able to walk again that she won't love you anymore" Archie said his voice laced with sincerity. Zoe looked at him and noticed how much he had changed in the last few weeks. This had really made him grow up a bit more and his boyish ways had died down a lot. And for once in his life he was actually talking sense.

Zoe nodded knowing that he was right. _She knew that no matter what happened in the future that her and Sarah's love was the sort of love someone searches their whole life for and knew that it would be there always._

* * *

Sarah was sat in the house cleaning up some things. Archie had taken Zoe out for a bit determined to spend more time with his sister so Sarah took this chance to get the house in order. She was about to go and clean the kitchen when there was a knock at the door. Getting up she opened it to find Amy on the other side.

"Hi Ames" Sarah said not knowing what her sister was doing at the door. They hadn't spoken for the last month so why did she suddenly come here.

"Hey Sar, can I come in" she asked politely and Sarah stepped aside allowing Amy to enter the house. Amy went straight for the couch and sat down twiddling her thumbs in her lap. "Look Sar I wanted to say I'm sorry, for what I said, I should have just been happy for you, I was angry that's all" Amy began as the regret of the way she had treated her sister and her sister's girlfriend hit her.

"It's okay Am's" Sarah answered as she put her hand over Amy's. "You're my sister and I knew you were upset and you had been having hard time I know that" she reassured glad her and her sister were finally taking the right step forward.

Amy nodded her head glad the awkward bit was over. "How's Zoe doing" she asked quietly remembering the injured girl. She thought back to when the sounds of an ambulance hit her ears.

_Amy was sat in the flat when Ste came running in._

_"You have to see this, supposedly someone's been run over in the street just down there" he called excitedly glad that there was some action going on. Amy got to her feet and ran out of the door with him. She could see a fair crowd of people surrounding them and recognized their faces as Nancy, Archie and Kris and the rest of them all with tears running down their cheeks. Ambulance's zoomed around the corner and suddenly the sound of her sister's blood curdling cries hit her ears. She pushed herself past them expecting to find her sister lying there but she was wrong. She was very wrong._

_Her mouth opened widely in shock as she registered the scene in front of her eyes. Sarah was kneeling on the floor with a bloodied Zoe in her arms. She could see the blood pool beneath Zoe's head and instantly felt like retching. Blood covered the two of them as Sarah's strangled cries hit her ears._

_"Breathe, please baby just breathe" she said between breaths as she stroked Zoe's head and hugged her body close. Breathe if Zoe wasn't breathing then that meant she was, Amy couldn't even think about it. The lights of the sirens flashed across her face and she could remember being pulled away by Ste noticing Amy's distress at her tormented sister._

"Hey Amy you there" Sarah asked snapping her fingers in front of Amy's face. She blinked her eyes several times and pulled out of her reverie.

"Yeah uh sorry I just zoned out, hows Zoe again" she asked this time not letting her mind wander at the memory of the horrifying scene.

Sarah smiled slightly trying to disguise the grimace. Physically Zoe was getting better everyday. But mentally she didn't know, even though she always had this optimistic and happy face on she knew it was a disguise. "Better, they think she should be able to walk again soon" she said praying silently that she would.

"Good I'm glad, is it okay if I come back later when she's here, I want to apologize to her too" Amy asked her voice careful and unsure. _Come on Amy it's the least you can do the girl pushed your sister out of the way of an oncoming car_ she thought to herself looking at Sarah hopefully.

"Of course you can, this is still your house and you can come around whenever you like" Sarah answered glad that the bridges between them, no matter how slowly were being fixed.

* * *

"Okay enough of the socializing Archie, I wanna go home I'm exhausted" Zoe murmured as she rubbed her eyes tiredly. They had been out all day and all she wanted to do now was to go home and sleep.

"Fine spoil sport" he grumbled pouting slightly but turning the chair towards the direction of the Barnes's house. Zoe was sat there quietly when all of a sudden her eyes managed to find their way to that spot. A tingling shiver went down her spine as she stared eyes open wide at the road where she had almost lost her life. Zoe tried to look away, to rip her gaze from that spot but found it impossible. It was frightening but at the same time fascinating. Finally it was out of sight obscured by the steps leading up to the house. Archie easily turned the chair around and went up the stairs backwards pulling Zoe with him.

"How the hell Sarah does this I don't know" he said as he pulled hard on the chair pulling it up the steps easily. _He'd never thought a girl would be able to pull it up._

"Practice Archie" she laughed as finally they got to the top of the stairs. The village was dark and basically deserted at the moment. He pushed open the door and wheeled Zoe in. When they were in both of the Carpenter siblings eyes fell on the young girl on the settee.

"Archie, thank you for today I think you better go though" she said looking up at him and he nodded. Leaning down he placed a soft kiss on her head and quietly left the house closing the door behind him. Zoe gripped both wheels and steered herself into the room. Her eyes had locked onto Amy.

"Zoe you're back, did you have a nice day" Sarah asked as she watched her girlfriend come to a stop next to her.

"As much fun as someone could have with Archie" she laughed lightly her eyes on her girlfriend. A small silence descended upon them but it was finally broken by Amy.

"So uhh, how you doing Zo?" Amy asked kindly her voice quiet. Zoe turned to look at the youngest Barnes.

"Not bad Amy, been better, how's the kid's" Zoe asked politely knowing that she should make small talk with the girl. _Why is she here_ Zoe thought to herself her eyes lingering on Amy.

"They're good thanks Zoe, look I came over here to say I'm sorry for the way I've been acting, the way I treated you two, I should have been happy that you were friends, and more" Amy said sincerely. _Once it hit her it could have been her sister lying in the middle of the road she wanted nothing more than to sort this mess out._

"It's okay Amy, you were upset it's perfectly normal, I don't blame you" Zoe said and reached out her hand for Amy to take which she did. "Day one yeah" she smiled giving the teenager's hand a light squeeze. Amy smiled and nodded her head. _She could live with that._

* * *

"So how was your day anyway" Sarah asked as she ran her hand through Zoe's blonde hair.

"It was nice spending time with Archie, I always thought he was this childish little boy but after everything he's done for me the last few weeks" Zoe muttered sleepily as her head lolled onto Sarah's shoulder.

"I know" she smiled back turning her head to look at Zoe who's eyes were starting to drift. "Come on you, let's get you to bed yeah" Sarah said as she got to her feet and grabbed a hold of Zoe under her arms and lifted the girl into the chair. She had never realized how light Zoe actually was these days.

She wheeled her down the corridor of the house and into the back room which they had turned into a bedroom whilst Zoe got better. Once in the room she helped Zoe get changed into her pajamas and gently lifted the exhausted young woman into the bed sliding her legs on. She threw the blankets right up over and Zoe cuddled them tightly trying to keep the warmth in. Sarah watched as Zoe's eyes fluttered completely shut and she smiled at her. _She has so much strength, she was the one who may never walk again, who had been going through so much pain it reduces her to tears and yet she seems to be taking the whole thing hell of a lot better then I am_ Sarah thought as she sat on the edge of the bed and brushed a stray strand of hair out of Zoe's pale face. Zoe didn't stir at the movement.

After placing a gentle kiss on the girls head she got up and exited the room. Usually Zoe would call her back and ask her to go to sleep so Zoe could cuddle her but she was obviously exhausted after the long day she had.

Sarah walked into the kitchen and turned the kettle on throwing a tea bag into a cup and sighed. She was beginning to feel the effects of being a carer. She was constantly tired, she ached all over and she couldn't do much. Sarah shook those thoughts from her head. _I owe it to Zoe the pain I'm going through is nothing compared to what she is, physically and emotionally._

The kettle finished boiling and she finished making the cup of tea and strolled over to the settee. The Tv was off and she sat there in complete silence.

_I'm so lucky_ she thought as she took a sip of her tea and put it down on the table. _To have someone who would give their own life up to save mine. Someone so beautiful who could have been taken from me and from this world_ she continued inwardly. The emotions that the mere mention of Zoe's name kicked up were addicting. _Do I even deserve her, after all the shitty things I've done do I really deserve someone like her?, I'm going to stick by her no matter what_ Sarah thought as she rested her eyes on the settee.

* * *

"No, no, please" Zoe muttered in her sleep as she flung her hands about as if trying to fight away an invisible enemy. Her hands smacked against the lamp on the bedside table and it hit the floor with a loud thump.

Sarah shot awake and looked about. She was lying on the couch. Looking about she caught sight f the clock. 4:56am. _Zoe_ she muttered as she hurried to the bedroom. On the way there she could hear Zoe's mutters turn into screams.

"Please no, please leave her alone don't hurt her, you can have me not her please" she screamed as her upper half tossed and turned across the bed. Tears were cascading down her face and sweat covered her forehead.

Sarah bolted into the room her heart in her mouth as she heard Zoe's screams. _Fear filled her body_. She had never heard the girl so terrified in her life.

"Zoe" she said as she dropped onto the bed and shook the older blonde. Zoe's hands still continued to flail about wildly and Sarah had to duck to avoid a smack in the face. She grabbed Zoe's arms to stop her from struggling.

"Zoe it's me wake up" Sarah said again whilst shaking the pinned girl. More screams ripped from her mouth.

"No get off me, no don't, you, you can't please no, don't hurt us please don't, Ahh, please Sarah save me, help me" she cried in her sleep as she began to struggle more and more, another gut wrenching scream came from her, "SARAH" she screamed and her whole body began to thrash more.

"Zoe wake up" Sarah yelled back over the shouting as she shook the girl hard. Her mind was racing and her heart was aching.

Suddenly Zoe shot bolt upright her eyes wide with fear. Her breathing was deep and shallow and her face was completely soaked with sweat. "Sarah" she said through panicked breaths.

"It's me" Sarah cooed as she pulled the girls head forward and clutched her as tightly as she could. Zoe's small body was racked with sobs as she clung to Sarah tightly. Sarah could feel the girls tears soak her top and she clutched to her tightly not wanting to let her go. Tears of her own slipped down her cheeks as she held onto the terrified girl in her arms. She couldn't bare to see Zoe hurt or in pain and this had now shown her that the whole thing had effected her a lot more deeply then she thought it had.

"It's okay babe, I'm here shh" she cooed as she stroked her hand along the back of Zoe's head. Zoe nestled her head into the crook of Sarah's neck as sobs continued to shake her. Her heart was racing and the sound of Zoe's terrified screams were echoing through her ears. She shuddered as they hit her once more.

"So real, it felt so real" Zoe choked out as she tightened her grip on Sarah. She tried to steady her breathing, to calm herself down but found that impossible. She sucked in a deep breath through her nose and inhaled Sarah's sweet scent hoping that it could chase away the nightmares that were plaguing her.

"I know just calm down Zo, I'm here now" Sarah answered back her head buried in Zoe's hair. She stayed like that holding Zoe for at least ten minutes, just rocking her back and forth trying to calm her down. Finally Zoe's breathing evened out and very slowly she released her death grip on Sarah. She leaned back so she was face to face with the brunette.

"You okay now" Sarah asked kindly as she watched the pained expression on Zoe's beautiful face. Zoe nodded her head slowly."Come on try and go back to sleep" Sarah said knowing that she would eventually fall asleep anyway due to the medication she was on.

Zoe shook her head. "I can't Sarah, I can't" Zoe said back quietly her voice laced with fright. Sarah smiled at Zoe and kissed her softly on her lips the kiss lingering for a few seconds before Sarah pulled back.

"Yes you can, I'll be right here with you okay" Sarah cooed as she watched the frightened expression on Zoe's face disappear slightly. Slowly she nodded her head up and down and Sarah eased her back down onto the bed. Sarah then jumped over Zoe and onto the otherside of the bed wrapping a protective arm around her. Zoe was pulled right into her side her head on Sarah's shoulder as she tried to close her eyes.

"It was so vivid Sarah, seriously it was just awful" Zoe said looking up at Sarah her eyes still filled with anguish. Sarah nodded and pulled Zoe closer so their cheeks were touching.

"So I heard" Sarah muttered back as Zoe's warm cheek pressed lightly against her own. Her hair tickled her neck and she could feel Zoe's soft breath on her face. "What happened" she asked softly turning her head to look at Zoe. Their noses were touching as they spoke.

"I can't it was too much, there was blood, and pain and just stuff so awful" Zoe said panic filling her once more. No way would she repeat what happened in the dream. _It made her sick_.

"I promise you I will chase away those nightmares Zoe" Sarah said as she stared intensely into Zoe's eyes. The blonde nodded knowing it was true. _She would stop them coming. Her arms were like a shield protecting from the bad things_.

Sarah put her hand on Zoe's other cheek and pulled her lips up to meet her's. The kiss was slow and gentle and Zoe could feel all her worries subsiding as Sarah's lips nibbled at her's. She slid her hand onto Sarah's waist and pulled her closer. There wasn't an inch between them as they battled for dominance of the kiss. She could feel her fears disappear and the only thing she thought about was Sarah. _The best thing that had ever happened to her. The one thing she knew would be there for life._

After several minutes the two pulled apart and sucked in the oxygen they both desperately needed. "Now sleep" Sarah said softly a smile on her swollen lips. Zoe looked up at her, her worries of the nightmares flooding back quickly. But the look of love in Sarah's arms chased them away as quickly as they arrived and Zoe slowly closed her eyes.

* * *

**Aww cute :D! So sorry for the long wait you guys been busy s'all! If you like it then please review they really give me motivation to keep going :D! Im going to warn you now guys its not gonna be a happy ending! Just thought I'd drop you a little spoiler to quench your Zorah thirst!**


	11. I Don't Need You

"How are you feeling" Sarah asked as she watched Zoe opening her eyes. She turned in her arms to face her.

"Tired" she mumbled groggily as she wiped the sleep from her eyes. Sarah smiled at her tired form. "The nightmare didn't come back" Zoe said a ghost of a smile gracing her lips.

"See I told you I'd get rid of them, full of tricks me" Sarah laughed and she also earned one off Zoe.

"Thank you for last night, i don't know what I would have done if you hadn't have been here with me" Zoe replied as she curled into Sarah once more. Sarah smiled into her hair.

"Zoe it's fine" she replied after a loud yawn escaped her lips. She turned once more and looked up at the shattered brunette.

"You're tired, have a few more hours" Zoe said to Sarah. Sarah shook her head and rubbed her sleepy eyes.

"Nah, who's gonna be looking after you" Sarah replied not wanting to leave her to her own devices today after the night she had.

"Sarah I'm fine I'm only in the other room, how much trouble can I get in exactly" Zoe said her eyebrows raised high. She didn't want Sarah getting sleep deprived because of her.

"You sure" Sarah said knowing she could do with the extra few hours to replenish her energy.

"After your night last night you deserve it" Zoe said and placed a gentle kiss on Sarah's lips before pushing herself upwards. She stretched out and grabbed her wheelchair pulling it up alongside the bed. Sarah was about to jump out of bed to help her but Zoe put her other hand on the younger girls shoulder.

"I've got this" she said and Sarah just nodded knowing that it was something Zoe had to do. Zoe turned her body and pushed her body up on her elbows and carefully eased herself towards the edge of the bed. Finally she was at the edge and pushed her hands back gripping a hold of the handles tightly. She was just about to swing herself over to the seat but suddenly the wheelchair went backwards and Zoe went crashing off the bed onto the floor.

"Ahh" she groaned as her head connected with the bedside table.

"Zoe" Sarah practically yelled and flew out of the bed and down on the floor next to Zoe. "You okay" she asked her voice filled with worry as she helped sit Zoe into a sitting position on the floor. Zoe nodded her head and rubbed it gingerly.

"I'm okay, I almost got it" Zoe grumbled as Sarah grabbed her arms and pulled her up to her feet seating her down in her chair. Sarah let out a breath as the panic began to subside. She looked at Zoe's face and there was a look of devastation on it.

"You'll get it eventually" Sarah cooed seeing the disappointment in her eyes. Zoe just nodded. _Why can't I do it, I have to learn to do somethings myself_ she groaned inwardly as she rubbed her head once more.

"Zoe just think about it you've only been in this for about two weeks, don't rush things okay" Sarah added not wanting Zoe to dwell on the disappointment.

"I don't care Sarah I don't want to be relying on you for the rest of my life" Zoe practically yelled anger at herself filling her voice not Sarah. Sarah flinched at the comment.

"Well at the moment you're going to have to whether you like it or not" Sarah growled back not liking Zoe's attitude. She didn't blame her and she knew she was frustrated but she didn't deserve to have it taken out on her.

"I don't have to do anything Sarah" Zoe snarled her face gradually turning darker shades of red. "I can cope without you. I can do things without you" she added on as she wheeled herself out of the room. Sarah strode out afterwards.

"Oh really" she said looking down at the girl. "You can't cook, you can't get out of the house, hell you can't even get out of bed without me so what does that tell you huh" Sarah yelled her hands waving through the air roughly to prove her point. Zoe's face dropped at that. That was a low blow.

A long silence fell between them and the words that Sarah had spoken began to register in her head. _What have I done._

"Zoe I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that" Sarah said taking a step forward her voice laced with apology. Zoe deserved to be put straight but what she had said was just harsh. Zoe wheeled backwards away from her.

"Get away from me, Sarah just go" Zoe said her voice low but still filled with venom. _She couldn't believe what she had said._

Sarah took another step forward trying to stop the tears that were filling her eyes. "Zoe please I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that, I'm sorry" she pleaded to the girl her voice breaking slightly.

"Just get out" Zoe yelled at the top of her lungs her face flushed a complete shade of red. Sarah just froze on the spot and knew it was best that Zoe got her space so she chucked on her shoes and threw on a jacket and strode out of the house slamming the door behind her. Thankfully she had fallen asleep in her clothes from the day before so she could leave immediately.

Zoe watched as the doorframe rattled from the slam and all the fight just went from her. _You know she didn't mean it, she was just countering what you were saying, stupid stupid Zoe_ she yelled at herself slamming her fist hard against the coffee table. She felt the instant throb in her knuckles but it didn't bother her that much. The only thing that bothered her now was how upset Sarah might have been.

Sarah was sat at the bottom of the stairs tears sliding down her cheeks. She wiped at them quickly hoping no one would catch her but unfortunately they did.

"Sarah" came Nancy's voice as she strolled over to her friend worriedly. Sarah looked up at her and plastered on a fake smile.

"Hey nance" she said trying to hide the hitch in her voice with no such luck.

"Sarah what's wrong, why are you crying" Nancy said her motherly instincts kicking in as she looked at visibly upset friend. Sarah just shook her head and dropped it onto her chest.

"Nothing, I'm okay" she said not wanting to discuss the argument but knew she would have to eventually. Nancy was persistent.

"Sarah you're crying you're not okay, come on let's go to the dog, have a drink and you can tell me what's wrong yeah" Nancy said and held her hand out for Sarah to take. Sarah sniffed and nodded and took Nancy's hand who hauled her to her feet.

* * *

"I really hurt her I mean those words were the ones that she never wanted to hear, she loves her independence and that just took it too far, I never meant to upset her Nance" Sarah said as she finished the last of her white wine spritzer. Nancy looked at her sympathetically.

"She knows that Sarah, it was just a heat of the moment thing that's all" Nancy reassured knowing what Zoe was like when she was in a temper. "Zoe gets like that, but you've got to remember that she's going through a really hard time at the moment and all this has been building and building, I'll go and speak to her if you want" Nancy offered trying to help her friend as much as she could.

Sarah nodded. "That would be great Nancy thanks, I just need to know she's okay, I just need to know that she doesn't hate me" Sarah mumbled as she rubbed her tired eyes again.

"It's no problem, and she does not hate you Sarah, far from that, the girl loves you to bits, do you really think one little argument would ruin all that" Nancy said as she continued to console Sarah.

"No" she sniffled slightly understanding what Nancy was saying.

"How has she been anyway" Nancy asked not seeing the blonde since yesterday morning.

"She was okay until last night" she mumbled not really sure if she should repeat what had happened but she needed to get it off her own chest. She needed someone to share her and Zoe's horror's with and she knew Nancy was the perfect person for it.

"What happened last night" Nancy asked curiously wanting to know what had happened to her friend.

"Well I fell asleep on the sofa and it must have been about 3 maybe four and I could hear her screaming form the bedroom" Sarah began quietly and Nancy moved forward fear filling her stomach. "So I got in there and she was crying and screaming in her sleep and was fighting something, her hands were flying everywhere and I tried to wake her up but I couldn't, and she kept screaming and calling for me to save her in her sleep" Sarah continued idly twirling her thumbs around each other. "I managed to wake her up and when did she was so scared, she was shaking and crying and I've never seen her so terrified Nance, it frightened me half to death" she finished looking at Nancy's shocked expression.

Nancy gulped and her mouth fell open. "Jesus Sarah, I knew her positive attitude was a front, this has really affected her hasn't it" Nancy said rubbing her hands across her face stunned by what she had heard.

"Yeah it has, she'll be okay though, she's got me and you and the other's, we'll get her through this" Sarah said now knowing if was trying to reassure Nancy or herself.

* * *

Zoe was sat in her chair her head in her hands. She had been in the same position for an hour now the same thing going through her head. _I hope Sarah's not upset._ Finally deciding that enough was enough she thought she would try and do something constructive. She was going to try and get out of her chair and onto the settee.

She wheeled herself over to the long settee and stopped right up alongside it trying to get as close as possible. _Come on Zoe you can do this, show's you can still do things on your own_ she thought as she readied herself to move onto the settee.

With one big push of her arms she launched herself off the seat and over to the couch but once again it was unsuccessful and she hit the cold floor with another loud thud.

"Shit" she said slamming her hand hard on the floor as tears began to slip from her eyes. _You're useless Zoe, I just need to face I'm never gonna walk again_ she cried internally as she hit her hand repeatedly against the floor. This time she tried to pull herself off the floor and grabbed ahold of the settee but only succeeded in pulling the cushion off and falling back onto the floor. She growled in frustration and slammed the back of her head on the arm of the chair to which she was leaning on. She tried countless times to pull herself up, to slide onto the couch but she couldn't do it. She shouted in anger and slumped back down against the settee and went silent as more and more tears fell down her face.

* * *

"I'll go and have a word with her okay" Nancy said as she finished the last of her wine and got to her feet. "You gonna be okay here on your own for a few minutes" she added as she looked down at the dejected Sarah.

"I'll be fine Nance, just make sure she is please" Sarah said and Nancy nodded and turned and walked out of the pub. Within a minute she had crossed the village and was walking up the steps to the Barnes house. Stopping in front of the door she didn't know whether to knock but she didn't want to disturb Zoe too much so just walked in.

When she did her eyes widened in shock at the scene before her. Couch cushions were strewn over the floor, a coffee mug had been smashed to pieces and on the floor by the settee sat a tearful Zoe.

"Zoe, are you okay, what happened" she asked hurriedly sliding to her knees next to her friend. Zoe turned to look at her not bothering to clear the tears away.

"I couldn't do it, she was right, I can't do anything" she weeped and Nancy instantly wrapped her arms around the girl tightly pulling her into her side. Zoe buried her head in Nancy's shoulder as more tears flooded her face.

"What couldn't you do Zoe" Nancy said as she still held Zoe to her body tightly. She had never seen Zoe in such a state before, never seen her so distraught.

"I couldn't even move from my chair to the settee without messing it up, Sarah was right I'm useless without her around" Zoe said between sobs as she clung to Nancy tightly.

"Hey you're not useless Zoe, don't say that, it just takes time" Nancy cooed not liking seeing her friend so broken.

"I'm going to be like this for the rest of my life, I'm not going to walk again, I was just fooling myself" Zoe said as she released her grip on Nancy and pulled away so she was face to face with the red head.

"Zoe you will walk again, I know it, I can feel it, please don't do this to yourself" Nancy said putting both her hands on Zoe's cheeks and shaking her head slightly. _Why is she saying this, she never gives up, she can't give up_ she yelled at herself.

"I'm not strong enough Nance, I'm just not strong enough" she said weakly her voice barely above a whisper. Tears pricked at Nancy's eyes as she looked into Zoe's. _They were filled with terror, and sadness and disappointment._

"Zoe you are the strongest gril i've ever known, you've got past the worst of it, you survived something that should have killed you, but you kept on fighting, don't give up now, not just for me, but for Sarah, she needs you as much as you need her" Nancy said trying to knock the sense as hard as she could into Zoe.

Zoe didn't respond to what she had said. She just sat there not staring at Nancy, but through her.

"Zoe I'm gonna lift you into your chair okay" Nancy said knowing that the floor was not comfy for the girl. Zoe nodded her head and Nancy did what Sarah had showed her a while back whilst visiting the two. She grabbed a hold of Zoe by her under arms and lifted her easily and then dropped her into the chair. She only then realized how light Zoe had become.

"Do you want me to call Sarah" Nancy asked as she picked up the pillows from the floor and put them on the settee sitting on them once they were in place. Zoe shook her head.

"Not just yet" she said quietly as the tears began to dry on her face. Nancy just nodded her head and took Zoe's pale hand in her own and squeezed lightly.

"Okay" Nancy responded as she stroked her thumb across Zoe's knuckles. She noticed that they were slightly red and instantly knew that it was because she had hit something. "Zoe you will walk again" Nancy continued trying to push the positive thoughts she once had back into the girls mind.

"I want to Nance, it's what Sarah deserves, a girlfriend who can walk not a cripple in a wheelchair" she said a small sarcastic laugh emitting from her lips as the last words passed through them.

"Zoe don't think just because your in a wheelchair that Sarah doesn't love you the same, how can you even think that, she'd never leave just because of this" Nancy said stunned by the girl revelation.

"Nancy I'm the complete opposite of what she deserves now, she should have someone who can go out and have fun, who she can dance with in clubs and through the living room, not be looking after me twenty four seven, I don't want to ruin the rest of her life" Zoe said rubbing her face with both her hands. She knew there was no need to be so insecure. She knew how much Sarah loved her and she knew she would never leave her. _But i didn't deserve her, this beautiful person doesn't deserve to be restrained by me_ she thought.

"Why can't you get it into your head, she loves you, no matter what's happened she loves you and you alone, she wouldn't have stuck around so long if she didn't, Zoe get those stupid thoughts out of your head now, if not I will beat the out of you" Nancy scolded the blonde. Zoe laughed lightly at her friend and a small smile came to her face. _She was right_. Nancy was always right. But she wouldn't give her the satisfaction of knowing that she was.

"Okay you can call her" Zoe said and she watched Nancy pull her phone from her pocket and dial the all too familiar number.

* * *

**Aww so they've had a little tiff but they've overcome it, hope you enjoyed guys and review if you did pleaseee!!**


	12. Remembering Roadtrips

"I'm sorry for the way I behaved earlier Sarah" Zoe sighed as she stared into her girlfriends gorgeous big brown eyes.

"I'm sorry too, what I said it was a low blow and I swear I will never say that to you again" Sarah apologized as she squeezed Zoe's soft hand in her own. They had been sat there for at least an hour just talking and constantly apologizing to each other.

They were sat there in a comfortable silence Zoe's head on Sarah's shoulder as their hands intertwined tightly on Sarah's lap.

"I just realized something" Sarah said looking down at Zoe who pulled her head form the girls shoulder. She raised one eyebrow in confusion. "We've just had our first argument, like as a couple argument" Sarah laughed at the expression on Zoe's face.

"We have haven't we" Zoe laughed back as she rested her head back on Sarah's shoulder. "I feel like suck a pillock now, all that fuss today over nothing" Zoe groaned embarrassed by her earlier antics.

"So do I, you can always count on good old Nancy to sort out a problem" Sarah grinned thankful that it was Nancy she had bumped to and none of the other's.

"Yeah she put everything into perspective for me" Zoe answered smiling at the help from her friend. Nancy just had that aura about her. She knew what to do in almost every situation and what way to go about it and Zoe was grateful that she had a friend as good as her.

"Same" Sarah mumbled tiredly as she played with Zoe's hands. They were completely soft and the feeling of it sent shivers down her spine. She couldn't get enough of the affect Zoe had on her mind body and soul. She was like her very own drug and she was hooked. If her supply ever ran out she'd more then likely die.

"Are you scared" Sarah suddenly said from nowhere her head never moving from above Zoe's.

"Scared of what Sar" she asked back confused by what Sarah was saying.

"For the trial" Sarah said quietly not knowing how Zoe would react to the question. Sarah herself was terrified. She was terrified of seeing the people who had tried to kill her and Zoe. _Terrified of what would happen if they didn't get sent down._

"A little" Zoe answered her voice equally as low. Sure she was slightly scared of seeing them again but she knew deep down that they couldn't scare her anymore then they had before. The only thing she felt for them was not fear but hatred. Hatred for their failed attempt on Sarah's life and for her losing mobility in her legs. "How are you feeling about it" she asked softly.

"I'm terrified" she answered truthfully. She had no reason to not tell Zoe. _They were honest with each other_. Zoe finally lifted her head and gazed at Sarah lovingly.

"They can't hurt you babe, and they can't hurt me either, we've got over the worst that they could throw at us, there's nothing to be afraid of yeah" Zoe reassured as she tightened the arm that was slung over Sarah's waist.

Sarah nodded her realizing that Zoe was correct. _You're just being silly now Sarah_ she thought to herself trying to oust the negative thoughts from her mind.

* * *

"I'm right here Zoe, I'll catch you okay" Sarah reassured as Zoe maneuvered her chair alongside the bed. She was going to attempt getting from the chair to the bed on her own once more. Zoe nodded her head and readied herself for the small jump. "Okay one, two, three" Sarah said and on three Zoe hopped over onto the bed and landed easily on it. She grabbed one leg and lifted it up onto the bed and then grabbed the other doing the same.

A wide smile stretched across her face as she realized that she had done it. Sarah's face beamed in delight and before Zoe could do anything Sarah ran forward and jumped on the girl kissing her hard in the lips. Zoe fell back on the bed Sarah above her grinning broadly.

"You are amazing you know that" she said in between kisses. The pride that filled her as she watched the girl achieve something that she had wanted to for a while made her heart almost burst from her chest.

"I did it" Zoe cried happily as she wrapped her hand around to the nape of Sarah's neck and pulled the girls lips onto her own once more.

"I'm so proud of you" Sarah mumbled her words muffled by an onslaught of kisses from Zoe. Zoe laughed at that and finally stopped assaulting Sarah's mouth.

"I couldn't have done this without you" Zoe said her voice filled with love as she stared intently into Sarah's eyes. Sarah rested her forehead on Zoe's and smiled the smile reaching her eyes showing her sincerity.

"Yes you could have, you're Zoe Carpenter, determined and one stubborn cow" Sarah laughed looking back into her girlfriend's green eyes. She could get lost in them and could sit there for hours just looking at them.

"So I've been told by several people" Zoe laughed back at the description given to her by many. Sarah lifted her hand and brushed away several strands of hair off Zoe's face and tucked it behind her ear her hand lingering there. Zoe put her hand over it and leaned into it.

"What did I do to deserve you, not many people would still be around to look after someone in a wheelchair" Zoe said as she pulled her own hand back from the nape of her neck and down to Sarah's cheek.

"More like what did I do to deserve someone who pushes me out of the way of a car, not many people would do that either" Sarah countered the same question constantly in her thoughts. Zoe just smiled and caressed Sarah's cheek with her thumb. She was always so mesmerized by the girls beauty.

"We'll leave that one sit for now" Zoe laughed knowing that it was a win win situation. Sarah nodded and placed a firm kiss on Zoe's pink lips. She always tasted sweet, like strawberries and her lips felt like an electric shock had gone through them whenever they made contact.

Sarah rolled off of Zoe and lay on her side next to her one arm casually swung over the blonde's waist. "You know the first time we ever did it" Sarah said a small smile playing at her lips. Zoe nodded and also grinned at the memory. "Afterwards even though I was mad at you, and I was a bitch to you, that was just to hide how much i actually liked it" she said and watched as Zoe laughed lightly. "You just kept so calm though, I mean you didn't even seem affected by the whole thing" Sarah added remembering how Zoe had acted after the incident.

"I wasn't at the time" she confessed. "I just thought ah we were plastered leave it at that, but after a while everything just kept coming back to you and I realized that I was falling for you" Zoe smiled back as she twisted her hand into Sarah's.

"I guess I am irresistible" Sarah smiled cheekily and Zoe just pushed her shoulder back and laughed. "That trip was pretty disastrous mind except for our night, first we argue with these men in a van, then we crashed into that stupid tree, then we had to stay in that shabby and dirty BnB, then we visit your old school, you get frisky with the headmaster and me and you end up scrapping like school kids, then my horrific fail at being a model" Sarah said in one breath as she ran through the eventful trip.

Zoe laughed throughout the whole thing as the memories came back to her. Getting drunk in the school had to be the funniest especially as she had to talk to the school kids pissed. "Well it had it's ups at least" Zoe said smiling widely.

"Yeah it did" Sarah smiled happily back. It was these small moments with Zoe that she treasured. Just where they sat and talked about everything and everyone they could. _Where she held Zoe tightly and kissed her and made her smile that dazzling grin she had._

"Ahh it's getting late and I need to take my pills" Zoe said as she looked at the clock on the wall. 11:00pm.

"I'll get them for you" Sarah said getting to her feet and heading out of the room towards the kitchen. Within two minutes she was back in the bedroom the small brown bottle in her hands and a glass of water. She handed them to Zoe who easily swallowed the tablets and drunk the glass of water dropping it onto the bedside cabinet once she was done.

"I think I'm immune to those things now" Zoe laughed pointing at the pill bottle next to her. Sarah just rolled her eyes.

"Well you'll be off them soon" Sarah replied as she realized that there wasn't many pills left in the bottle.

"And do you know what else I'll be doing soon" Zoe grinned up at the brunette. And she knew she would, she could feel it with every fiber of her being.

"What's that" Sarah replied running a tired hand through her hair.

"Walking" she promised and Sarah beamed at her. And for the first time since Zoe had been in the wheelchair she was one hundred percent sure as well.

**

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**So the story progresses, hope your all enjoying guys and keep the reviews coming :D**


	13. Trials & Turnarounds

**_One Week Later. . . ._**

"Are you sure you're ready for this" Sarah soothed as they sat outside the courtroom. Zoe nodded her head. She couldn't speak. She hadn't been scared for the last few days but now the thought of coming face to face with Nathan and his pals had hit home. How could she look into his eyes. The first time she did that he was charming and gorgeous and very seductive.

But all the other times those eyes were cold, tainted and angry and menacing. And they were probably the same now.

"And you" Zoe asked finally finding her voice and looking over her shoulder at Sarah who had both hands gripping the handles of her wheelchair tightly her knuckles turning white.

"Yeah I'll be fine once this whole thing is over with" Sarah breathed as they waited patiently for someone to come and get them. The wait seemed to be taking forever. She had never wanted to see them ever again. After everything they had done to Zoe. The pain they had put her through.

Suddenly her mind flashed back to that night once again.

_"Charging 200" came the doctor's loud cry as he pressed the defibrillators to Zoe exposed chest. Sarah winced as the shock jolted Zoe's body slightly. She was stood behind the glass pane her hand's over her mouth as she tried to stifle the sobs that were still assaulting her body._

_"Charging 220" the doctor yelled again and another shock went through the blonde's body making it jump slightly. Sarah's eyes flicked to the monitor she was connected to and another tear slipped down her face as still a flatline covered the screen. There was no heartbeat. Her Zoe's heart wasn't beaten. Her heart was lifeless._

_"Please Zoe" Sarah whimpered as she rubbed at her tired eyes quickly. "Come back to me" she whispered as she watched the doctor continue to work on her girlfriend. She watched as they injected something into the IV she had been connected to and then begin to shock her once more._

_Her heart dropped as she heard some of the nurses words. "She's gone, I think we should call it" she said softly putting her arm on the doctor's. He shook his head violently not wanting to give up on the girl just yet._

_Sucking a deep breath he picked up the defibrillators and put them to her chest. "Come on Zoe" he said and he sent another shock through her. At this though a quiet beeping noise filtered through the room as Zoe's heartbeat flashed up on the screen. A ghost of a smile fell across Sarah's face as she watched her girl get brought back into life. That's my girl she whispered inwardly as she watched the doctors begin to prep her for surgery._

"Zoe Carpenter" the voice snapped her from her reverie and when she looked up she saw a young woman poking her head out of the door of the court. Zoe put her hand up and the woman stepped aside for the two of them to enter. Slowly Sarah got up and pushed Zoe towards the courtroom.

"Let's do this" Zoe grumbled as they entered the courtroom. As she did the whole court turned to look at her nearly all of them with their eyes filled with sympathy as they saw the wheelchair. In amongst the crowd she could see Nancy, Kris and Hannah and Zak and Archie all sat there fearful as too what might happen. But the only eyes that didn't were the menacing ones up in the defendants box. Her eyes instantly connected with Nathan's and she swallowed the bile that was rising in her throat as she looked at him. His was contorted into one of anger. He knew he would be going down for a very long time.

The two women took their seats next to Zoe's lawyer and she smiled warmly at them. Leaning over she whispered quietly.

"By the sounds of things this should be over today, it's a straight forward case against the three of them" she said and Sarah and Zoe merely nodded their head wanting to get this over as fast as possible.

"Will the first defendant Nathan Lewis please rise" said one of the barristers Nathan was the first too his feet. Zoe tried to even out her breathing as finally it was time. She could feel her heart pounding hard against her chest and thought at any moment it would burst from it.

"Will the foreman of the jury please stand" the same barrister said and turned to look qt the Jury. A young man with cropped brown hair stood to his feet a piece of paper in his hand. "Members of the jury have you reached a verdict on which you are all agreed".

"Yes" the man replied simply his hands folded in front of him.

_This was it. Here was the time they'd find out what would happen to the men that had made their life hell._

"On the charge of attempted murder, being in possession of class A narcotics with the intention to sell, and assault do you find the defendant Nathan Lewis guilty or not guilty" the barrister asked and an eerie silence had descended over the whole court.

Zoe's heart was beating faster and faster and her breathing was slightly labored as she began to panic. _What if they were found not guilty. What would they do._ She felt Sarah's hand grip a hold of her's tightly a look of terror etched on her beautiful features.

"We the jury find the defendant Nathan Lewis"

Finally after what seemed like hours the foreman of the jury finished his sentence..

"Guilty" he spoke and suddenly the weight that had been resting on Zoe's chest lifted and finally she managed to breathe easily as relief flooded her body. Sarah turned to her and hugged her tightly tears of joy slipping down her face. Zoe's eyes drifted over Sarah's shoulder to Nathan who's face had paled considerably at the verdict. But they didn't have long to celebrate as the judge banged his gavel hard and announced for the second defendant to rise.

The large burly man arose to his feet with a smug like look on his face, He obviously didn't care if he got sent down.

"On the charge of attempted murder, being in possession of class A narcotics with the intention to sell, and assault do you find the defendant James McIntyre guilty or not guilty" the barrister spoke once more looking at the foreman.

"We the jury find the defendant James McIntyre, guilty" he spoke once more and another bout of relief swarmed over the two women and their friends and Sarah squeezed her tightly once more. Everything was going to be alright.

"Will the third defendant Scott Morgan please rise" the judge asked and the large man who Zoe remembered to be the one who had beaten her up in the warehouse got to his feet his hands behind his back. When she studied his face he had a look of genuine remorse for what he had done and knew he would suffer the consequences of his actions.

"On the charge of being in possession of class A narcotics with the intention to sell, and assault do you find the defendant Scott Morgan guilty or not guilty" the barrister asked once again for the final time.

"We the jury also find the defendant Scott Morgan, guilty" he spoke for the last time before sitting back down. A wide smile burst across Zoe's face. _She had gotten justice. They had got what they all deserved._

The judge banged his gavel hard to try and calm the hustle and bustle that now filled the court and everyone went silent immediately.

"Nathan Lewis, you have shown no remorse for your actions and have shown to be a very cold and calculating man, you will be sentenced to life imprisonment serving at least fifteen years before being considered for parole" the judge spoke firmly.

Nathan's face completely dropped in horror. He hadn't been expecting that sentence. He had never thought he would get life.

"James McIntyre, you have continually showed to be proud of what you have done to this young woman and the other deeds that you have carried out, you will also be sentenced to life imprisonment again serving at least fifteen years before being considered for parole" the judge said sternly once more his voice colder towards the obvious leader of the three. James merely dropped his head onto his chest sighing to himself.

"Scott Morgan, throughout the trial you have shown remorse for what you have done and although you did not have any part in her attempted murder you had brutally assaulted her the week before, therefore I am sentencing you to five years imprisonment serving at least two before your application for parole would be looked at" the judge said a little softer then his previous tone. Scott just nodded his heads knowing it was what he deserved.

"What the three of you have done is utterly despicable, you have not only physically scarred a young woman but also the psychological repercussions of your actions will linger for a long time, you should all be ashamed" the judge said viciously at the three who were now on their feet. The judge nodded at the prison officers that were stood behind the three and they gripped a hold of the men dragging them out of sight.

* * *

"Thank god for that" Kris said as the group sat in Sarah's house. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"They got what they deserved" Hannah spoke her voice slightly bitter at the thought of the men who almost took her friend from her.

"Well they won't be able to hurt you ever again now Zoe" Nancy reassured as she took Zoe's hand in her's squeezing lightly. She had noticed that Zoe had been awfully quiet since the trial ended.

"No, no they won't" Sarah grinned looking down at her girlfriend. For some reason Zoe had a rather troubled expression on her face.

"Zoe you alright" Sarah asked her girlfriend and finally Zoe tilted her head to look at her. Zoe just nodded lightly and turned her head back around to look at the other's. _For some reason she still had that feeling in her stomach that it wasn't over yet. It had been bothering her ever since they left the court. The look Nathan had given her had first given her that feeling._

_You're just being stupid Zoe, it's over, they've been sent down_ she tried reassuring herself but it was unsuccessful.

* * *

Sarah stretched her hands above her head and a loud yawn escaped her lips. The whole day had worn her out completely.

"Music I need music" Zoe said as she wheeled herself over to the cd player. The clock had just gone 8pm and she didn't know what to do with herself.

"Whatcha thinking of" Sarah said as she watched the blonde flick idly through the Cd's in her hands.

"I don't know something good, I'll stick the radio on and see what comes on shall we" Zoe grinned as she flicked the switch on the player. Straight away a soft sound of a piano hit her ears.

"This is my dancing song, and my favorite song" Sarah grinned as the music hit her ears.

_It's a blue, bright blue Saturday,_

_And the pain is starting too slip away,_

Zoe wheeled herself back over next to Sarah and grinned as Sarah got to her feet and began to twirl in a circle to the music.

_I'm in a backless dress on a pastel ward that's shining,  
Think I want you still,  
But there may be pills at work,_

Sarah danced around Zoe's wheelchair her arms and body gracefully gliding through the air. Zoe watched mesmerized as the brunette danced happily and she was so lost in Sarah's movement that she didn't even see or feel her foot move ever so slowly.

_Do you really wanna know how I was dancing on the floor?,  
I was trying to phone you as I'm crawling out the door,  
I'm amazed at you, the things you say and that you don't do,  
Why don't you ring?,_

Sarah suddenly stopped on the spot staring down at Zoe's feet which had caught her eye's. Her mouth fell open in shock as she watched the girls feet slowly move to the rhythm of the beat. She fell to her knees in front of her. Zoe furrowed her brown in confusion at Sarah's actions and followed the girl's gaze. Her own mouth opened wide in shock at what she saw. Slowly she began to twirl her ankles around as well.

I was feeling lonely, feeling blue,  
Feeling like I needed you,  
Like I'm walking up surrounded by me,  
A&E,

A wide smile broke out across Zoe's face as she lifted her gaze to meet Sarah's who's eyes were filled with tears. _She was doing it, she was moving her legs slowly, how did I doubt her_ Sarah thought as she looked into the blonde's bright eyes.

_It's a blue, bright blue Saturday, hey hey,  
And the pain's starting to slip away, hey hey_,

Zoe slowly tried to lift her legs and slowly her knees creaked as her legs raised up slightly. _Their working_ she screamed inwardly as she watched her legs slowly move around. Her gaze went to Sarah brown eyes again and she watched as a lone tear fell down the brunette's face. She could feel her own tears of joy slipping down her face.

_I'm in a backless dress on a pastel ward that's shining,  
They gotta watch you still,  
But there may be pills at work,_

She gripped a hold of the arms of the wheelchair hard and Sarah instinctively got to her feet and held her arms out for Zoe to grab onto but the blonde refused._ I'm gonna do this_ she thought as she began to slowly ease herself upwards.

_How did I get to accident and emergency?,  
All I wanted was you to take me out high,  
And I was feeling lonely, feeling blue,  
Feeling like I needed you,_

Zoe slowly pushed herself upwards her heart beating hard against her chest. She was doing it, she swore to herself that she would walk agin and that is what she was going to do. Zoe was suddenly rising higher and higher and she felt her legs ache but she didn't care. _Almost there Zoe come on_ she yelled inwardly.

Suddenly she took a step forward off of the wheelchair and was stood in the centre of the room on her own two feet a wide grin on her face.

_Like I hoped you'd call and hoped you'd see me,  
A&E._

Sarah ran forward and gathered Zoe up in her arms the tears freely falling down her face.

"You did it baby, you did it" she cried into Zoe's hair as the blonde's hands wrapped around her tightly. Zoe pulled away from her still slightly unsteady on her feet and grinned.

"We did it" she said placing a small kiss on Sarah's slim lips.

* * *

**So she walks yay :D Not many chapters left no guys hope your enjoying and please review.**


	14. Revealing & Rethinking

Zoe and Sarah were lay in the wide bed each smiling widely. Each were still lost in their bliss at Zoe's new found mobility. The sun was rising and neither had slept yet but they didn't care.

"I just can't believe it, I did it" Zoe grinned the same one that had been plastered to her porcelain face all night.

Sarah smiled lovingly, "I'm sorry I ever doubted you, I should have known you would walk again, have a bit more belief, you're amazing" Sarah said as she rambled on the excitement filling her entire body.

"Hey we've talked about this" Zoe said rolling her eyes but grasping Sarah's hand none the least. "You were scared, and that's fine okay" Zoe said and Sarah nodded knowing that what Zoe was saying was the truth.

"So how are we going to tell the other's" Zoe said changing the topic quickly. She had been thinking up ways all night.

"Whatever way you want to, but as long as it is before 4:30 because you've got to go down the hospital to see the physiotherapist" Sarah said and Zoe scowled slightly her eyes falling beneath her brows. "Just to make sure your legs are you okay that's all" Sarah added as she acknowledged the look on Zoe's face.

"Fine" she grumbled but continued on with what she was saying before hand. "So I was thinking we'll ring them and say meet at the Subar at twelve and I'll just walk on in, the look on their faces would be funny" Zoe said quietly all traces of hurt gone from her voice.

"Okay then that is what we'll do" Sarah smiled back happy with whatever way Zoe considered breaking the good news to them.

The two fell into a long and comfortable silence. Zoe was tucked in tightly to Sarah's side their feet showing at the bottom of the quilt. Zoe lay there and watched as she twirled her ankle around her foot rubbing up against Sarah's. The two feet danced around each other Zoe and Sarah both grinning at the movement.

She hadn't been this happy for god knows how long. Every day she woke up and relied on someone else to do stuff for her. But not today, today was a new day and she was a new person. She had never valued her legs as much as she did now. She never valued her life as much as she did now and she would live every second of it to the full.

* * *

"Time to go" Sarah said smiling as she watched Zoe throw on a jacket. Zoe still walked quite slowly and her legs throbbed slightly but she didn't care. _No way was she sitting in that chair again._

Walking over to Sarah she placed a soft kiss on her girlfriends lips before swinging the door open and strolling out into the morning air. She sucked in a deep breath and stretched. Sarah followed behind her watching Zoe's movements in awe. She could see the girls eyes light up at every step she took. Carefully they descended the steps Sarah readying herself to run forward should the blonde's legs give way. But thankfully they didn't and slowly the two made their way over to the subar.

Zoe stopped just outside the doorway hesitating. _Everyones going to be staring at me_ she thought wondering if this way of letting them know was wise.

Sarah noticing the hesitance of the girl stepped up alongside and took her slim hand in her own squeezing tightly.

"Come on" she smiled and Zoe's fear's melted away as her breathtaking smile caught her eye. Zoe nodded and gulped before pulling open the door.

As soon as she entered she could hear Kris loud Irish accent. It sounded although him and Archie were having another bicker. She walked deeper into the bar until she spotted the table. On it sat Kris, Archie, Elliot, Hannah, Nancy, Rhys, Gilly, Zak and Michaela. They hadn't noticed the two yet.

"I'll go over first yeah and when I look at you walk over okay" Sarah grinned and Zoe smiled back at her. Sarah spun and headed over to where the other's were at.

"Hey guys" she said cheerily walking over to the table. They all turned and shouted their heys.

"Where's Zoe" Kris asked instantly noticing the blonde's absence. He instantly knew something was up because the two were never separated these days.

Sarah didn't answer so Kris asked again. "Sarah where's Zoe, is she okay" he began worry instantly filling his stomach.

Sarah laughed and everyone had fallen silent around the table. "Uh yeah Kris something's happened" she said trying her hardest to keep a straight face and with that she turned her head and looked at Zoe. Zoe sucked in a deep breath and walked around the corner.

Everyone's eyes widened in shock as they watched the blonde emerge walking freely on her two feet.

"Oh my god" Nancy cried jumping to her feet and launching towards Zoe. She wrapped her arms tightly around the girl as tears instantly fell down the red head's face. _She couldn't believe it._

"Oh my god" Nancy said again as she pulled away from Zoe her mouth open wide. Zoe grinned and laughed and slowly wiped away the tears on Nancy's face.

"Hey no need to cry" she cooed touched at her friends reaction. But Nancy couldn't respond because she was pushed out of the way by a crying Kris who grabbed Zoe and hugged her tightly.

"I knew you would do it" he whispered in her ear as he gripped her tighter. Zoe could feel her own tears begin to prick at her eyes as she held her best friend tightly. They had supported her so much through out her ordeal. Zoe could feel Kris's tears soak through her top as her shoulder became damp but she didn't care.

Sarah stood and watched on with delight as one by one their friends each attacked Zoe with hugs most of them crying their own tears of joy. And watching this made Sarah cry her own because everything was back the way it should be. There was nothing to stop them now.

"Your one of a kind I'll give you that wheels" Rhys uttered as he pulled the short blonde into a tight hug. Zoe laughed into his chest and looked up at him.

"Hey you can't say that anymore, I don't have them" she laughed at the nickname Rhys had started calling her. He just put a mock pout on his face.

After him Archie did the same his body practically engulfing her completely. "Archie, can't breathe" she stuttered as Archie's grip instantly loosened and he pulled away sheepishly.

"Sorry" he apologized one arm still wrapped tightly around her shoulder's. Zoe grinned up at her younger brother. "I'm really proud of you Zo" he added holding back his own tears that were threatening to spill over. She grinned widely at him and wrapped her arms around his stomach burying her head in his chest. _Things were going to be okay._

* * *

Sarah and Zoe strolled hand in hand through the village. The sun was beginning to set and they'd just got back from the hospital.

"So today was eventful" Zoe grinned as their entwined hands swung back and forth. Sarah nodded in agreement.

"Yeah it was, I couldn't believe their faces when they saw you, we've got some great friends" Sarah answered as she thought about the group.

"Yeah we have, I don't think I could have done this without them, especially Archie, everything he's done for me, he's the only family that's stuck about, my mum and dad don't really want to know anymore do they" Zoe said her voice lowering slightly at the thought of her parents. Sarah sent her a sad smile and squeezed her hand once more.

"Archie's made up for their presence, we haven't been able to get rid of him" Sarah laughed and it instantly lightened the mood. Zoe nodded knowing she was right.

They continued their walk in silence automatically knowing what direction they were headed but suddenly Zoe stopped dead her eyes focused on something. Sarah looked at her confused and then to where Zoe was looking.

"Zoe what's up" Sarah asked moving to stand in front of the blonde who's eyes had gone glassy in shock. Sarah then looked over her shoulder again at the spot Zoe was staring at and she knew what had made her girlfriend stop dead.

"Zoe it's okay, there's nothing coming" Sarah said as she took both of Zoe's hands and took a backward step off the curb. Zoe's eyes were still focused on the spot where 'it' had happened. She had crossed it when she was in her wheelchair but she couldn't understand why she couldn't now.

Zoe still wouldn't move so Sarah tugged her arms slightly forcing the blonde to take a step off the curb. The village was swamped in complete silence only the rustling of the wind in the trees hit their ears.

Sarah took another two steps back pulling Zoe with her. She could see that Zoe's face had paled considerably. She hadn't looked as pale as she did now since she was in the hospital a few weeks back.

_Sarah was sat next to Zoe's bed her hand wrapped tightly around Zoe's. It had been 5 days since Zoe had been run over and she still hadn't woken up. Sarah was sat there her head resting on the bed as she stroked small circles on the back of Zoe's hand._

_"Why aren't you waking up Zo?" Sarah asked as she turned her head to face the blonde's. Her face was a deathly white and she could have blended in with the crisp white hospital room. A large tube went into her mouth and several other's were going in and out of her body. The only sound in the room was the slow steady beeping of the life support machine._

_"I need you here, we all do" Sarah said again her eyes never tearing from Zoe's face. Cuts and bruises littered the top of her head as a large thick white gauze bandage plastered around it. Only a few strands of her blonde hair was visible beneath the bandage._

_"I heard them speaking Zoe, the doctors, they didn't think I was listening, they said that if you don't wake up by tomorrow night then they'll declare you brain dead and turn off you life support, so you gotta wake up babe yeah, you have to wake up" Sarah said the end of her sentence spoken a little more firmly as the anguish of losing Zoe overcame her once more._

_"I know you can do it Zoe, come home, come back to me" Sarah pleaded tiredly as the last of her energy left her._

"Almost there Zoe" Sarah cooed shaking the memories from her head and focusing on the frightened girl in front of her.

Zoe's eyes were still locked on the area where she was hit and it was replaying all of the time. She could see Sarah in the middle of the road, and she could see the car and she could even see herself running forward to push the girl out of the way.

_Zoe get a grip_ she yelled at herself and she ripped her gaze away from the area her eyes now focusing on Sarah brown one's.

"I can do this" she said under her breath as she began to walk just that little bit faster across the road. Sarah beamed at her as she watched the girl compose herself and stride across the street their hands never leaving each other.

_And she had done it._ She felt her foot go up onto the curb and she automatically smiled at her triumph.

"Now that wasn't hard was it" Sarah laughed as she looked at Zoe's face. Zoe smiled at her.

"No I suppose it wasn't" she answered and continued to walk forward and up the steps to the Barnes house.

* * *

The two women were sat on the settee each resting their backs against each arm their legs tangled up on the centre of the settee. Zoe took a sip of her wine and put it down on the table.

"Sarah" she asked her voice quieting slightly. Sarah looked up at her and took a sip of her own wine before doing the same as Zoe and putting it on the table.

"Yeah" Sarah responded wondering what Zoe wanted.

"I've been thinking" Zoe began and she looked at Sarah intently. "There's nothing left for me here, in Hollyoaks, there's nothing left here really for both of us, so how about" Zoe continued not knowing how Sarah would respond to her question. "How about we go away, like move away, we could travel all over the world, just you and me" she asked a smile on her face. She loved Hollyoaks but the place held too many bad memories as well as it did good. But she needed to get away for a while.

Sarah didn't know how to reply. _That was out of the blue_ she thought and looked at Zoe curiously. "What's brought all this on" she asked before answering the question that was left unanswered for the time being.

"Well" Zoe began not liking that Sarah hadn't answered the question but she continued none the less. "This place, it's, after everything I've been through the last two months, I can't be here anymore, I've always wanted to go travelling, hell we might even see your dad on the way, I just have to get out of this town, out of this country" Zoe finished taking a long gulp of her wine once she was done.

The room descended into silence and neither spoke for a few minutes. But it was finally broken by Sarah.

"Okay, let's do it" she smiled at Zoe who's face instantly lit up.

"Seriously, I mean are you sure" Zoe said just wanting to be sure that this would happen. Sarah grinned.

"Of course I'm sure, do you think I'd let you go anywhere without me" Sarah laughed and she braced her self as Zoe jumped forward from her sitting position so she was now laying on top of Sarah. She grabbed Sarah roughly and pulled her head to her own kissing her hard on the lips.

"A fresh start, for us" Zoe grinned as she looked up into Sarah's sparkling eyes. Sarah nodded her head and kissed Zoe again her hands on either side of Zoe's head.

"Yeah for us" Sarah beamed back as she held Zoe too her tightly.

* * *

**So guys one more chapter left sob! What will happen, will the two get their sunset ending or will tragedy strike at the last given moment. You'll just have to wait and see my lovely's. Review if you liked.**


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